It’s not earth-shattering news and might even be considered trivial by some. However, the agreement to offer Wi-Fi connectivity at Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) reported on in Friday’s paper is more important than many may realise.
People in general nowadays go online for practically everything, including checking in, staying informed on any possible fight delays and – among other things – making final provisions for arrival at their destination. Incoming passengers often use it to let persons know they have safely landed, arrange ground transportation, etc.
An observation often heard from international guests was that they did not mind the makeshift terminal in its current state or even the facilities under tents before due to the damage caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017, but having Wi-Fi would go a long way towards compensating for some of the related inconvenience and discomfort.
This plea apparently did not fall on deaf ears. The service will be free of charge the first half hour, which seems quite reasonable considering the target group are travellers not looking to be at the airport very long.
If the envisioned system works well, that will no doubt enhance the visitor-experience at the island’s main gateway, which is a key ingredient of the local hospitality industry. It’s also a sign that the local tourism economy continues to slowly but surely recover.
