VI pilots lobbying for national airline
Two Virgin Islands pilots, commercial pilot Neville Braithwaite Jr. and the VI’s first pilot Linton Wheatley, have begun lobbying for the national airline and believe such an investment is highly possible and realistic with the support of the Government. They were speaking on the television talk show BVI Forum, which was aired on Saturday evening May 19, 2012.
Mr. Wheatley, who was a former commercial pilot for AIR BVI in the 70s, said there are almost positive indications that American Eagle will be pulling out of the San Juan/Beef Island run which leaves that area open for investment and where a national airline for the Territory can fit right into.
“We believe that this is one of the greatest opportunities that a national airline going into Beef Island has at the moment. The hub is an extremely big hub and it not only create airlift for people from one part of North America but also create airlift from throughout North America ... San Juan is still one of the major hubs in the Caribbean and definitely the major one that brings passengers for us at the moment. Having that variety in San Juan make a big difference because it is suddenly removed and nothing to replace it as far as a hub out of San Juan,” said Wheatley, who sees the need for the local airline as a "yesterday" project.
However, he made it very clear that direct flights out of Miami, New York or Atlanta is very much encouraged.
The veteran pilot, in reeling out the ideas for the national airline, said such an investment would attract investors, however, Virgin Islanders will play a major role in the investment and it cannot be one of those investments where Virgin Islanders will be “fronting” for any businesses. In addition, equipping the airline with Virgin Islands staff will also be a priority with a phased approach.
“What we would like to see is that you can go from bringing in a fully loaded aircraft and crew, the first set to disappear will be the first officers, it takes a while to get rid of captains. It must have some local identification,” he explained.
Regarding cost for flights, Mr. Wheatley sees that the national airline will be able to offer cheaper flights and similar to other airlines, the flights will be subsidized given the benefits it can trickle down to other sectors of the economy.
“We are not just interested in the airline itself making the ton load of money alone, but rather for hotels and every other business available. Once the person gets here they have to spend money that should be the way they look at the airline,” he said, while pointing out that among the benefits can be a partnership between the airline and hoteliers to offer packages to visitors as incentives in slow tourist season.
Taking Bahamas as an example, he said, the option of a national carrier has a tripling effect. “The way I see the Bahamas, they used to do big airlifts, but now they are going smaller. They still allow the big boys to come in as is needed ... but they are also thinking about the local people.”
With ideas on the table, Mr. Wheatley believes though that the investment of having a national airline will have to be something that is well thought out and the next move will be to approach Government to seek their “blessings”.
He also made it clear that the lengthening of the airport runway and direct flights will complement a national airline and they are in no way opposing those ideas.
For those interested in being part or knowing more of the initiative, Mr. Wheatley said after speaking to Government, the plans will then be put forward based on the recommendations.
Meanwhile, Captain of VI Air Link Neville Braithwaite Jr. also threw his support behind the idea.
“You are not only creating a next economic pillar in the BVI but you are also responsible for chartering your own destiny in terms of air traffic moving in and out of the Territory. And you just wouldn’t be able to be in a position to be left high and dry.”
Braithwaite, who operates the local carrier in the Virgin Islands, said it is about time the Territory has a next carrier to call its own.
VI Airlink has only recently acquired permission to have its 13-passenger Beechcraft King Air 100 aircraft do charter flights to the US. The agreement is seen as a breakthrough for VI Airlink, who has long been pushing to receive permission to fly to US ports.
Meanwhile, host of BVI Forum Edmund Maduro said he believes that a well organised national airline is of ultimate importance to the future development of the Virgin Islands.
“I believe if we do not develop our own airline that we will fall behind. What I have seen it is so difficult for us to have a multi-nation carrier in the Caribbean.”
Another guest on BVI Forum, Dick Schoonover of BVI Charter Ports, also supports the call for a national airline and also sees the benefits that it can bring to the entire Territory.
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