The government is moving forward with plans to introduce an automated passenger identification system at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), using facial recognition and biometric technology to streamline the arrival process for Guyanese citizens.
Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, announced the initiative on Monday at the opening of the Women in Aviation Conference 2026, describing it as part of a broader strategy to position Guyana as a regional aviation hub.
Under the proposed system, Guyanese travellers will move through the airport without manual processing. Upon arrival, facial recognition software will identify passengers using the national e-ID card infrastructure, automatically triggering gates to open.
“We want when you come off the plane, you walk straight through. The system must recognise that you are a citizen. Your face will appear on a screen, the system will signal the gate to open, and you will walk through. You don’t have to see anybody as a Guyanese,” Minister Indar said.
The digital upgrade comes alongside significant physical expansion at the CJIA. Minister Indar confirmed that designs for a second terminal have been completed and contractors are mobilised, as the government works to bring the airport up to full international standards.
Guyana’s aviation sector has seen rapid growth in recent years, with the country now hosting approximately 16 airlines — up from just four in 2020. Carriers currently operating include Copa Airlines, American Airlines, Caribbean Airlines, and Surinam Airways, with more expected to follow a recent government engagement in Brazil.
Efforts are also underway to restore regional air routes lost following the collapse of LIAT.
Beyond the CJIA, two new municipal airports are under construction in Berbice and Lethem. The Berbice facility is being built to support the region’s expanding oil and gas operations, new pipelines, a power plant, and infrastructure projects including a stadium at Palmyra. Minister Indar said the airport will feature a 6,500-foot runway capable of accommodating jets.
The Lethem airport, meanwhile, is being strategically developed to handle passenger and cargo traffic from northern Brazil, further cementing Guyana’s ambitions as a gateway between South America and the Caribbean.
