-faster, seamless experience expected
THE Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) continues to modernise its systems amid Guyana’s growing passenger numbers and, recently, it introduced a new baggage handling system.
In a video statement posted to social media on Thursday, Vashana Lall, Engineering and Maintenance Manager at CJIA, said that the new system will bring the airport up to international standards by the end of September. The implementation of the new system is slated to be completed within weeks, adding to a string of modernisation changes aimed at giving Guyana a world-class travel experience.
Lall noted that the airport currently relies on the traditional method of baggage screening, which is far more time consuming and creates congestion in the check-in area. The new system, once in place, is expected to cut that wait time significantly.
“Within a few weeks, this will be here. We have the new baggage handling system currently in process, installing and this will be completed soon and you would not be having this congested area here anymore in the check-in,” she said.
Once operational, the system is expected to change the check-in experience in a fundamental way. Rather than passengers checking in at the counter and then hauling their own bags across the terminal to a separate scanner, as is currently the case, luggage will be dropped directly at the airline counter and screened remotely, out of sight, before making its way onto the conveyor system. New scanners are being installed specifically to support that backend process, effectively moving the bottleneck out of the passenger’s way entirely.
The upgrade also comes as Guyana’s tourism and travel sector continues to carve out a bigger role on the international stage. Lall said the new system will bring CJIA’s baggage process in line with what travellers already experience at major hubs abroad. “Just the way it happens internationally in London, JFK or any international airport, the passenger will come to the check-in counter, they will weigh the bags, the bags will be taken onto the conveyor belt to be screened and then onto the aircraft,” she explained.
The system is set to be fully completed by the end of September, a timeline Lall said includes testing and commissioning to have it fully operational.
Beyond speed, officials have also pointed to security as a major improvement and highlight of the new system. Once fully rolled out, the baggage handling process is expected to be backed by continuous CCTV coverage from the moment a bag is checked in to the moment it’s loaded onto the aircraft, with screeners and law enforcement personnel required to wear body cameras as an added layer of accountability. Airport officials have described the combination as a way to build in transparency at every stage of the process, not just faster service.
The baggage system is part of a roughly $512 million infrastructure investment first announced back in 2024, when government outlined a wider package of upgrades at CJIA that also included a new commercial centre, VIP lounge, and administrative building. That broader push has continued the past two years. This comes amid the rapid growth of Guyana’s tourism sector, with increased international attention and efforts to promote the country as a top travel destination fuelling record numbers of visitors for both business and leisure.
