By Gerrino J. Saunders
Journal Staff Writer

Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) executives say the company
is “actively” exploring expansion plans to accommodate growing passenger
traffic and is seeking more point-to-point service to ease peak-hour
congestion at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA).
Vernice Walkine, NAD’s chief executive, speaking on the sidelines of the
2025 Routes Americas Conference, said the company is becoming more
deliberate about seeking additional point-to-point airline service due to the
pressure caused by connections through hubs, particularly between the
hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
“Most flights come in or leave during that time, and we’re finding that non-
stop flights from major gateways will serve us well,” Walkine said. “It will
take some pressure off. One of our goals at this conference is to discuss
with carriers how we can stretch peak hours by having more flights before
11 a.m. or after 3 p.m. This will help enormously. We’re also discussing our
plans for expansion to manage the peak more effectively, utilizing
technology to process passengers and bags faster.”
Regarding the airport’s future expansion, Walkine said, “over the next 5,
10, 20 years, we’ll expand our facilities to alleviate airside congestion.
We’re looking at adding parallel taxiways, rapid-exit taxiways, and
expanding terminals with more jet bridges. It’s an exciting time as we share
our vision with airlines, so they can plan for the future with us.”
Walkine noted that NAD has two dozen meetings scheduled at the Routes
Americas Conference and that while expansion plans are in development,
they have not been finalized.

“We are actively planning now, but it will require refinancing, so we’re likely
talking about 2026 and beyond to start any major projects. The refinancing
is not yet finalized,” Walkine explained.
She also reported that LPIA ended 2024 with 4.06 million passengers, a
slight increase from the previous year.
“We’re nearing capacity, which is why we’re exploring ways to grow our
facilities to accommodate future demand. Our growth is also tied to the
expansion of hotel rooms,” Walkine added.
Additionally, Walkine noted that NAD is working toward achieving a five-
star designation for LPIA. “To stand out, we need to be better than
everyone else, and we’ve challenged our team to move toward this five-star
rating,” she said. “It’s a journey, and while it will take time, we will make
small, incremental changes along the way that will make a huge difference
for passengers. We’re listening to what passengers want and will use
technology and other improvements to meet their needs.”