Setting the Standard By Makeda Mikael
Setting the Standard: Why Antigua’s Aviation Future Demands Regulatory Precision
After 11 years operating as a Corporate Aviation Service Provider, I find our company at a familiar crossroads—one that mirrors our very first major stride into this industry when we established FBO 2000. That venture created a standard of excellence across Antigua, St. Kitts, and Nevis, building a network so robust it was ultimately acquired by the global leader, Signature Flight Support.
Today, having settled legal claims regarding the Stanford Group and secured the 26.44 acres decreed by the government for FBO services, we are ready to elevate the industry again. We possess the region’s only large corporate aviation hangar and the logistical capacity to serve the “1%”—the ultra-wealthy communities that rely on privacy, efficiency, and superlative service.
But world-class assets are nothing without world-class regulation.
There is a distinct difference between a ground handler and an International Service Provider. The latter is a club of fewer than a dozen recognized companies globally. As a member of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) since 1993, we understand that the pillars of aviation are not just fuel and hangars; they are Rules, Regulations, and Transparency.
It is from this vantage point of global experience that I must highlight a critical urgency for Antigua’s aviation sector.
The Private Land Anomaly
Antigua operates in a unique situation where 90% of the land surrounding Runway 10 is privately owned. We are operating on a decommissioned US Air Base, functioning as a full member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), yet the implications of private land ownership within a member airport have not been fully regularized.
In the world of aviation insurance—which ultimately governs our ability to do business—definitions matter. Insurance demands that companies operating within airport premises function on land under the clear control of the airport, whether by ownership, lease, or legally acquired rights.
The Road to the 2026 Audit
Currently, there is no “Registration of a Difference” filed with ICAO regarding this land ownership structure. This “Difference” is the legal mechanism that establishes exactly how the airport ensures security and safety compliance on land it does not own. Without it, the sector operates in a regulatory grey area.
As we approach the ICAO Audit in 2026, clarity is non-negotiable.
Antigua must now establish proper Regulatory Procedures for all companies doing business on this land. This is not just red tape; it is the safety net that allows international traffic to trust our jurisdiction. We must ensure that the overhaul of our airport moves us toward full ICAO compliance.
We have the assets. We have the history. Now, we must have the regulatory discipline to match.
#AviationExcellence #Antigua #ICAO2026 #CorporateAviation
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