Post #572031 by VampiressRN on Fri, Jan 14, 2011 7:57 PM

This is pretty cool!!!

Jamaica's third international entry point opened this week with a name James Bond fans will instantly recognize: Ian Fleming International Airport. Formerly a small center known as the Boscobel Aerodrome, the airport was expanded in order to accommodate international travelers and now features sections for customs and immigration sections. The airport has one runway that will cater to private jets and small commercial aircraft.

The airport was named after the British writer who invented the character of James Bond because it is close to the scenic retreat where Fleming reportedly penned his entire series of books about the charming, crafty spy.

Lucy Fleming, the 007 author's niece who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, said her uncle would have been "thrilled" to see an airport bearing his name in Jamaica.

"He adored Jamaica and found so much inspiration and relaxation here. So I tell you something, to have this accolade of having an airport named after him here I know would have been a great honor for him," Ms Fleming said. "Honestly, I don't think he would have written those (Bond) books without Jamaica."

Fleming first came to Jamaica in 1942 while he was an intelligence agent stationed in Bermuda.

Four years later, he returned and bought property he called "GoldenEye" and started to write Casino Royale, the book that launched the successful James Bond series.

The property once known as GoldenEye is now the site of an exclusive resort owned by Chris Blackwell, the owner of Island Records who is credited with introducing Bob Marley's music to the world.