Not many aircraft watchers assembled at the road-side perimeter fence at Wallblake Airport to look at the arriving and departing executive jets, now back in Anguilla in large numbers. But the ground handlers were beaming with delight in the run-up to and during the Christmas holiday period as a flotilla of the planes, absent for several months, swooped in at the runway one after the other.

Staff members of Lloyd's Aviation handling flotilla of jets

The records at Lloyd’s Aviation Services showed that between December 18 and 27 there were 120 jet flights at Wallblake. On Boxing Day, December 26, alone, 27 flights (arrivals) were logged.

The bulk of the jet aircraft comprised Gulf Stream 4s and 5s, Global Express and, to a lesser extent, Citation and Challenger planes, many of them considerably large. The jets flew in mainly from the various cities in the United States with others coming from Canada and Europe.

Some of the many jets parked at Wallblake Airport over Christmas period

The days of January 2 and 3 are expected to see a considerable amount of activity at the airport when the parked jets, as well as others returning for their passengers, will be flying back to their destinations.

The rather small parking area, at the eastern shoulder of the runway, provided little space for the aircraft, but the ground handlers from Lloyd’s Aviation Services found much pleasure in skillfully ‘stacking’ them up with the aid of special equipment.

One of the jets taking off for the United States

It is understood that Lloyd’s Aviation Services has plans to provide a large parking area to meet future demands. As part of its operations, the company has a jet fuel depot north of the middle section of the runway.

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