BVI Airways (Tortola) has partnered the government of the British Virgin Islands in launching the islands' first ever direct flights to the United States mainland.
As part of a USD7 million investment, BVI Airways will commence direct Tortola-Miami International return flights using an ARJ-85. Airline officials anticipate an initial frequency of three weekly flights weekly graduating to at least once daily as demand picks up. All regulatory considerations aside, the launch is scheduled for September of this year.
“...we expect consequential infrastructural development in the tourism sector; higher participation of BVI businesses in activity outside of the BVI; and ultimately more employment opportunities for our people," Premier and Minister of Finance, Orlando Smith, said. "The partnership with BVI Airways is meant to fill the immediate need to solve our air access issues and constitutes another investment by my Government in the continued development of the BVI economy and its people.”
A British overseas territory located in the Caribbean, the British Virgin Islands are connected to the surrounding islands of Antigua & Barbuda, St Kitts & Nevis, Barbados, Dominica, Puerto Rico, St Maarten, and the US Virgin Islands by VI Airlink (VIL, Tortola), interCaribbean Airways (JY, Providenciales), LIAT (Antigua and Barbuda) (Antigua), Air Sunshine (RSI, San Juan Luis Muñoz Marin), Seaborne Airlines (BB, San Juan Luis Muñoz Marin), Winair (WM, St. Maarten), and Cape Air (9K, Hyannis).
