The Government of the British Virgin Islands has lifted the suspension of OCL Barbados/One Caribbean's Foreign Operator Permit (FOP) after the airline proved that its violation of the COVID-19-related entry rules was not intentional.
Chief Executive Reginald Adams told St. Vincentian magazine Searchlight that the embargo was lifted on the morning of August 23, after a period of eight days during which One Caribbean was not allowed to fly to the British Virgin Islands.
The airline was temporarily banned due to its non-adherence to a newly introduced mandatory reporting procedure, wherein every airline flying to the British Virgin Islands has to present the authorities with a list of passengers 24 hours before their flight.
Adams admitted that dealing with changing entry policies in countries served by One Carribean was confusing and underlined that the airline was trying its best to update its procedures immediately to reflect the various new approaches.
"COVID is a tough time. We’re operating out of eight countries and eight countries are changing their policies every week... Tortola [the British Virgin Islands] changed their protocol on a Saturday and we were not updated as to the change," Adams said.
According to the carrier's internet booking engine, One Carribean does not currently operate scheduled flights to Tortola and only serves the British Virgin Islands through charters. A virtual carrier, One Caribbean charters two Saab 340Bs from its parent, OCL Barbados.
