BVI Airways acquires 2nd jet; But no flight date announced
“BVI Airways has completed the purchase and taken delivery of its second jet aircraft as it prepares to launch non-stop service between Miami International Airport and Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands,” a press release from BVI Airways today, December 20, 2016 stated.
According to the press release, the AVRO Regional Jet (RJ) 100 will have a seating capacity of 86, including 12 in Premier Class. The 4-engine plane has a cruising altitude of 31,000 feet, and a speed of approximately 500 mph. At that speed, it said, the flight times between Miami and Tortola should be approximately 2.5 hours long.
The Avro RJ100, the press release continued, was manufactured by BAe Systems (formerly British Aerospace). It is currently located at “BVIA’s major maintenance facility” where the interior is in the process of being outfitted, the exterior painted and rebranded, and the plane thoroughly inspected.
“Our second plane is yet another major step in readying BVIA to dramatically improve the convenience and comfort of getting to the BVI,” said Jerry D. Willoughby, the CEO and President of the airline.
Start signing up! No flight date
“We are currently undergoing the certification process with our regulator and people can sign up by visiting our website – www.gobvi.com – for an instant email alert when we have the official approval to start ticket sales and regular service.
Mr Willoughby continued “We’re getting tremendous feedback from BVI hotels and charter companies, as well as the travel trade in the US, Europe and South America. They’re really excited by the opportunities we’ll be bringing to the islands with non-stop service from Miami to Tortola. So are we!”
BVI Airways, however, shied away from giving a date for lift off. This is after the public was given three start dates by Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith- at the end of October 2016, the end of November 2016 and December 2016.
Circumstances caused schedule to slip- Premier Smith
Speaking during the Third Sitting of the Second Session of the Third House of Assembly (HoA) on December 19, 2016 Premier Smith disclosed that regulator Air Safety Support International (ASSI) had not given approval for the airline to fly commercially.
"ASSI as a civil aviation regulator for the VI currently, will need to issue an air operator certificate to BVI Airways before they can fly commercially from the BVI," Premier Smith told the public.
In addressing the three time-frame delays without giving the residents an explanation, Dr Smith said "...it has been our intention that this airline be fully operational by the beginning of the winter season of this year, but circumstances have caused the schedule to slip," Premier Smith said.
However, Premier Smith failed to advise the public if all the other approvals required from the United States Department of Transportation via the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been granted.
The National Democratic Party (NDP) Government pumped some $7M of taxpayers’ monies into BVI Airways, with a promise for direct flights between Miami, Florida, USA and the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport at Beef Island. This is even after the defunct airline left owing the British Virgin Islands Airports Authority (BVIAA) close to US$100,000.
Under the bailout deal for BVI Airways, if they never fly the VI Government is not eligible to get back any of the $7M.
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18 Responses to “BVI Airways acquires 2nd jet; But no flight date announced”
By the time Christmas comes,NDP would have given their naysayers and detractors the bowels....Yeah!
"In 1984, Branson started Virgin Atlantic Airways with a single leased airplane. The company struggled to survive but eventually became the second largest long-haul international airline in the UK."
I hope BVI Airlines took the same approach of leasing instead of buying out right because if things go belly up in the early stages they could always give the plane back and and recover from a small leasing loss rather than die from a big purchasing one.
Just my thoughts..... WL