Terrance B Lettsome International: potential gateway to the world
DICKSON IGWE - Monday, November 28th, 2011 at 9:54 PM
Dickson Igwe
The beginning of a series of articles reviewing a recent news media debate on whether or not the Virgin Islands will grow its tourism and commerce by becoming a truly international airline hub destination.
John Morrison, in the November 3 Edition of the BVI Beacon Newspaper threw cold water on the idea of Beef Island’s Terrance B Lettsome International Airport one day being able to land the largest type jets as an option for improving and enlarging the territory’s tourism, and thereby commercial infrastructure.
Mr. Morrison’s short opinion piece inferred that a lengthening of the runway there, add an expansion or redevelopment of the airport terminal and tarmac to cater for large aircraft and increased jet airline traffic was, in his own words, ‘’ an unlikely event.’’
I wish to assert that I believe the Pilot is wrong in making that determination. That unless there are insurmountable physical and financial barriers, and there are apparently no long term hurdles preventing this according to enlightened opinion, then a remake of the Terrance B Lettsome International Airport to cater for the largest aircraft, is indeed only a matter of time, even if that means a number of years.
In any case, a study was carried out a number of years ago, apparently by the present Government, which showed that the idea of remodeling and rebuilding the airport to cater for large aircraft was very feasible indeed. Admittedly, there will be a major ecological and environmental impact to the area during and after construction; however, that is usually ‘the price for progress.’
Nearby, St. Martin’s Princess Juliana International Airport has a similar dynamic with Beef Island’s Terrance B Lettsome, in that a thin two lane highway separates a busy and touristy beach from the runway, and a sunset bar and grill at the end of the runway is regularly packed with people. In fact, and incredibly, jet blast is considered a tourist attraction in St. Martin, among a Bohemian sub set who ‘lime’ or ‘hang out’ in the vicinity of the airport, just to catch the odd jet landing there, and there is even a drink at local bars close to the airport named ‘Jet Blast. St. Thomas’ Cyril E King International Airport also possesses a busy road and beach area close to the runway.
So asserting that Beef Island is in some way an oddity cannot be substantiated, and that is despite the depressed state of the global and regional economy, including the global airline business, especially in North America and Europe. And even with oil prices above $100 a barrel, -oil is 40% of airline costs- in this observer’s opinion, there is still no overwhelming barrier preventing the development of Terrance B Lettsome into a regional and international hub type facility, especially when considering the top priority that tourism, a major pillar of the BVI’s twin pillar economy, is being given today.
And this late 2011, new financing options from the Far East and Pacific appear to be gaining traction in the Caribbean: Antigua has recently received financing from Chinese Banks to build a brand new $50 million terminal expansion to deal with an increasing visitor and passenger load. And some of the biggest buyers of airplanes today are non Western countries such as Middle Eastern and Asian states spending tens of billions of dollars on the latest models and equipment: these are new global carriers that will compete with the older more traditional airlines, foreign businesses that will be looking for new routes worldwide, including flying into and out of the Caribbean.
This idea of looking at more diverse sources for financing and business may be something policy negotiators need to bring before the powers that be in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the European Union. In any case, the Northern Atlantic region: North America and Western Europe, is being swiftly overtaken in the economic and power stakes by a new Asian dynamism which even the United States recognizes as the new ‘Super Region’ of the globe.
US President Barack Obama recently determined that Asia and the Pacific is the most crucial region to US economic and geopolitical security today. The Western Coasts of these majestic Americas is where the economic action is taking place increasingly. These Antilles had better wake up to the new reality of the Asian Pacific as emergent ‘Gulliver’ and center of gravity. This will affect the Caribbean in ways still yet unknown, including West Indian tourism and travel!
Consequently, and environmental concerns notwithstanding, an international airline hub facility in the Virgin Islands, probably on Beef island- Anegada may be too expensive an undertaking for now,- is a critical necessity, and will be realized sometime in the near future. Yes, it is imminent!
Add to this a mood in the country that is pro port development, and a belief by the majority of Virgin Islanders that bypassing facilities in St. Martin, Puerto Rico, Antigua, and St. Thomas, and thereby enabling the British Virgin Islands to access global capitals and tourism markets directly by air, is certainly a growing need, even crucial requirement; but that will mean building an international airline hub type facility in the British Virgin Islands.
A truly international airline gateway on Beef Island coupled with an improved seaport facility at Towers or Soper’s Hole on the West End of Tortola, and an improved port infrastructure around the country, will increase tourism revenues, and also improve the national economic infrastructure by providing easier and more efficient access into the country for international travelers and tourists.
And the idea that the Virgin Islands could become a major regional and international airline hub in the coming years, with all of the associated, social, developmental, economic, implications and benefits, and even ramifications for the country, was further given a boost recently in both the national and international news media.
Incidentally, a number of recent articles and magazine surveys show that the BVI is a destination that is at the very top of its league, when it comes to places most desirous of travelers to visit. This is the result of what we all know is a gift of divine providence: the BVI’s pristine and paradisiacal geography.
However, the BVI is just one among many other pristine and spectacular destinations, and all of these places are probably already building the infrastructure necessary to grab a greater market share of a global tourism industry worth over 10 trillion dollars annually. Incredibly, some countries in the region, with less to offer the international traveler than these Virgin Pearls are today doing just that. International Jet travel into St. Kitts and Nevis is today being aggressively encouraged, and Air Canada is flying directly into Basseterre’s Robert Bradshaw this November 2011.
Opening up the territory to the wider world is no longer an option if BV Islanders wish to grow the tourism economy by leaps and bounds: and this can only be done by providing direct access to a first class destination and tourism product through aggressively prospecting globally for direct flights from the world’s capitals and major population centers into Beef Island, or some other facility in the country.
Albeit, this must also be accompanied by complementary development such as increasing the number of quality accommodations; and the improving the country’s physical and social infrastructure: sewage, drainage, hospitals, schools, transportation, including a national hotel training facility as proposed in years past, etc. The new NDP Government certainly has its work cut out in this regard.
The latest rendition to these paradise Antilles, according to a Caribbean News article of October 27, 2011, is the result of 8 million votes cast by Conde Nast Travel Readers, placing this territory high up among the best travel destinations on the planet. The World’s premier travel magazine puts it this way: ‘’ The BVI, the spectacular archipelago of more than 60 islands and cays in the Caribbean was ranked number 4 in the Caribbean and Atlantic’’ and offers ‘’ beyond a welcoming mix of award winning accommodations, from private islands to intimate inns and villas, breathtaking natural wonders, world class dining, and a host of unforgettable experiences from snorkeling, diving, and sailing, to rejuvenating spas.’’
And access into this Virgin Shangri La must be controlled by BV Islanders themselves, not some grey suited travel oligarch, or narrowly focused airline executive sitting in Dallas or Geneva!
To be continued
Dickson Igwe is on Twitter and Facebook
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42 Comments
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good for the near future… i could see the hotels lined up all the people who study management and hospitality could have something to do now…. hmm i also imagine more employment at the air ports BUT… Tortola going have to destroy some of the grooves and ponds and beaches around beef to do so . win lose situation
OK, say we build this. Let’s have 3 flights a day landing from Europe, US or what have you. So, that will bring some 600 people a day, or 3,000 a week. That’s a 15% increase over the population of Tortola. Great, but where will they all stay? Where will they all go, and do what? Do we have the infrastructure (water, sewage, restaurants, bars etc) to handle that many people? And, since we want to keep fares here competitive, we can’t get too carried away with departure taxes, apron fees etc, so how do we pay for this new airport.
OK, the airport will create new jobs. Most of those will be technical and will require us to raise our educational bar. Many of the tourism sector jobs will still be $5/hour jobs that belongers don’t want, so we’ll need more imported labour.
Is the vision that we want to have a larger airport so our islands are overrun with tourists? How will that make the BVI unique? How long before we move into high rises, time shares? Where there is no vision, the people will persih. Don’t see much of a realistic vision with the notion as presented by Mr. Igwe.
Good point sir! But an airport that can handle large jet aircraft is still a critical neccessity to VI tourism.
I see you have hit a home run with this article Mr. Igwe. Good for you. I agree with the basis premise that the airport should be expanded to handle larger jets from international destinations. As you can see from the debate going on here, there are varying & diverging points of views on this. As such, it will take true leadership to get the job the done. I am of the personal opinion that this is essential as part of a larger puzzle for growing the economy.
No it is not! Good service, a smiling welcome and a safe environment are what are necessary to BVI Tourism. St Barth does not have a jet capable airport and it is the top tourism country in the BVI. Anguilla does not have a big airport and yet it has attracted Millionaires and Billionaires who have built extensive mansions there. Moustique does not have a jet capable airport yet all the celebrities and royalty want to go there…. So I still maintain that we do not need a bigger airport to prosper.
Where will the money come from. The Government is unable to secure the $15million to repair the roads, where will it find the more than $500million to extend and strengthen the runway? Where will it find the millions needed every year to maintain the facility? and more importantly what will happen to arrivals for the year or so that TBL will be closed for the extension? Big ideas are good, but they also need to be realistic and practical
I fully appreciate your response Storm- but I reiterate that this is a model of development that must be seriously studied and considered- notwithstanding current barriers and limitations- the airline business is increasingly global in nature- and it requires panoramic thinking to project any type of future model- and my definition of hub may be different to yours- a hub could be small and regional- or large and global- depending on interpretation-
Dickson is a well spring of ideas but I’m not sold yet on an international hub. A hub is normally a central point with spokes radiating out to other airports, particularly cities that cannot support direct flights.
Airline profits are typically razor thin, airlines have fix take off and landing costs, and each filled seat reduces the break even point. This is why some flights below a nonprofitable number of passengers may be cancelled, delayed, or combined with later flights or the passengers are put on other carriers.
Further, airlines will not continue to fly a route that is not profitable. Specifically, they will not fly a route or maintain a schedule that may be profitable only one day a week. Will airline(s) be flying into TBL daily loaded with passengers? If so where will they stay? Beds are needed to put heads in.
Moreover, to become a hub will require more than the length of the runway and taxiways. Larger planes will require more glide slope space, accident potential zones (particularly at the end of the runway, refueling facilities, repair facilities, ground support equipment (GSE) spaces, extended operating hours…etc.
To meet these requirements will require more acreage and a huge capital investment. Extending TBL will result in environmental impact, abandoning some property, limiting use of some land, relocating roadways…etc. What would the cost benefit analysis show?
Direct flights are convenient but I’m not sure that the demand can support it. And probably as airline run the numbers on volume I suspect they may take a pass. Why are larger regional countries with international airport such as Antigua have challenges maintaining direct flights?
You are so correct. Antigua spends a fortune subsidizing flights with Revenue guarantees and yet they have seen the airlines reduce the frequency of flights or combined them with other destinations – The same for San Juan that has seen a 35% reduction in volume in the past year. The BVI cannot afford the hundreds of millions of dollars in capital outlay or the millions that it will cost to maintain and subsidize the airlines. We will be better served improving the product we now have instead of waiting for the impossible to happen
OK, I admit and agree, there will be a huge environmental impact if this is done. However, It is seriously needed if we want to see a boost in our economy. I have been wondering about this and studying on this for years! And I want to get on board. I am not saying go straight for the international hub just yet but lets see some progress. We will have to “pay the price to get the price paid” I am a grad student currently studying in the field of aviation (aviation/aerospace operations and safety..I have some ideas about this whole thing. I would love to see where this all goes.
BTW, it is sad to see that even our BVIslanders choose to go to STT to fly to the US due to the ridiculous prices flying out of EIS. With this development, that will definitely change. Let’s keep our money here lol
That’s optimistic….Travellers already pay $ 20 departure tax. How much departure tax will it be for the “new and improved airport? Add to that the taxi fare there. Oh, you’ll drive to the airport instead of a taxi? Nice idea, but do you think it will be free to park there? Right now, without parking or raising departure taxes, you have to spend $45 (about what it costs to go to STT by ferry). That will never be matched by an airline.
So called ridiculous prices happen in part because ridership is low. I’ve flown out of Beef on AA many times, and seldom is the plane full.
OK, so let’s build this thing. Do we really think that we’ll have AA, Delta, USAir, Spirit Air all coming here? Reason people use STT not only has to do with value in fares, but also convenience in schedules and destinations.
If done properly and correctly, we can get all those airlines in there. The BVI is a premier destination for a lot of carriers. It will be difficult in the beginning but over time as our development gets more and more known to the industry, traffic will be heavy. I’m still working on my “taxes” response.
A new airport will make price of flight increase because of all the new taxes and fees that will have to be charged to offset the monstrous cost of development. If we are lucky the price Beef Island to New York will only be twice what it is from St Thomas
As a student of aviation you should appreciate the impracticality of replacing TBL with a larger airport. It will never make financial sense as the price tag is too high and there is not enough traffic to support it. Also you, more than others must realize all the technical upgrades that come with a jet capable airport – Sophisticated navigational and landing systems, a much larger fire department, a hospital capable of dealing with an air disaster, search and rescue capabilities, maintenance facilities. All of these very expensive to install, maintain and keep up-to-date. And who is to warranty that the airlines will keep servicing TBL if the economy gets worse. As of moments ago American Airlines has filed for bankruptcy. What happens if American goes under?
Honestly, it is not impractical. It is possible, I never said it was going to be easy. It is a big challenge and a major change and I have and am taking all that you are saying into consideration. But, with a few years, it actually can be done.
A hub type facility does not neccessarily mean a mega facility like SJU- it could simply mean a regional stopping off point, before accessing say neighbours, such as some of the islands in the Leeward and Windward chain. A passenger flying to Trinidad from London could one day disembark in Tortola and catch a flight from here to Port of Spain- that is how all the rest of the hub type airports began- they began small- we can grow a hub facility right here to the economic benefit of the country- not today I agree- but one day in future- surely-
Why would they? A flight from london can go direct to POS. Hubs no longer are as important as they once were, this is why the various islands are ensuring that they have airports that can handle direct flights from US/Europe. Flights from these origins can be found in the Bahamas, Turks, Haiti, Dom.Rep, Cuba, Cayman, PR, St.Kitts, Antigua, Stt, St.Croix, Barbados, St.Lucia, Grenada, T&T, St.Maarten, ABC Islands – where does that leave the BVI to be a hub for? Beef Island would be a hub for Anegada or Virgin Gorda only – but further afield from that I am sorry but it just is not going to happen.
All – “Islands in the Sun” !!! Sing on Harry, you are making the point (on a high note) for the runway extension, and I agree with you.
The regional concept of Hub and Spoke, is no longer viable,” because most of the islands can now handle direct flights from USA & Europe.”
The regional jets will also provide some inter-island flights. So, BVI does not have the luxury of remaining stagnant. Did they get the memo? “No more American Eagle next year”.
Dickson I am 100% with the idea that our airport needs and should be improved and increased…But a larger airport is not a “HUB” to fight for and pursue a better airport facility is legitimate, but to talk about a new Caribbean Hub like SJU is a whole different game, and implies a lot of facilities aside to a longer runway…
Good article Igwe.
As usual, some people (or in this case most people) seem to be missing the point completely. They state the obvious (clean up the place, provide good service, control crime and the tourists will come). So my question is COME WHERE AND HOW??? If we are seeking to attract MORE TOURISTS, WON’T WE NEED MORE HOTELS AND MORE FLIGHTS DUMMIES??? One commenter said “eliminate all airport and seaport taxes and fees and make the airlines reflect those savings in their pricing”. Now that is one of the most ridiculous statements I have ever heard. If you don’t have taxes at a port, HOW THE HELL ARE YOU GOING TO GENERATE ANY REVENUE?? Every Airport in the world has taxes and fees.
The same person said your comparison to St. Maarten’s Airport was “ridiculous” because St. Maarten has way more flat land. Ok fine, did St. Thomas have the same flat land?? Didn’t they extend their runway out into the sea??? The same thing that other countries do when they need to??
Ok, having said all that, I would agree that Beef Island is not a practical location for an airport that can land “the largest” available Air crafts. There are indeed some physical and financial limitations, major limitations. I don’t think we’ll ever see a 747 landing at Beef Island. Honestly we don’t need to. But we must upgrade to be able to handle direct flights of some sort. I say the 757 would do. They fly to America and Europe. We don’t need to be a Hub, we are too small for that. But we do need to increase our capacity to stay competitive in tourism. Piggy-backing on other countries who we are competing against for tourists is crazy. The BVI and Anguilla are probably the only two tourism major destinations in the Caribbean who cannot accommodate direct flights. Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman, Jamaica, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Antigua, St.Lucia, Barbados all have their own. Time to get with it BVI (Virgin Islands). And the people who are saying that we “don’t need to” or “can’t” are truly RIDICULOUS.
It is too bad that you suffer from tunnel vision. You fail to see the big picture – eliminating taxes and fees at the airport will lower the price of tickets which in turn will attract more people to our country. The loss of revenue from the taxes and fees is a fraction of what it will cost to build a new airport. It is the cheaper solution to reach the same results.
Hello, knock knock (knocking on someones head)anything up there
For the guy who claimed they helped to write the advisory circ, dude your a fake, wanabe faa inspector.
Hell, since you helped “write it” you should also have knowledge that countless airports in the US doesnt generally adhere to the circular. How about John Wayne Airport in Orange county, which take aircraft greater than 200,000lbs, trans con. from a 5700 ft runway. Or the airport in Marathon, Fl, thats the same length as beef and take AirTran 737′s?
And approach requirements, since ur the AC guru, maybe you should focus on busting airports that don’t meet the recommendations. Why don’t we start with the bad ones, maybe we should shutdown that RNAV RNP approach into DCA or maybe that published expressway visual approach in LGA? Care to know some more?
So just kill the talk bout u help write anything. Rubbish! By the way claiming to have wrote an AC expresses and implies that your an employee or agent of the FAA and the fact that ur not, is a federal crime, so becareful when u boast.
Why do you insist on sharing your ignorance with everybody. No airport in the real world would dare operate outside the scope of the law. Beef Island airport is long enough for a 737 jet, but only if that jet is empty and carrying very little fuel. So not only should the runway be long enough for the aircraft, but it should be long enough and strong enough for that same aircraft to take off with a full load of passengers and fuel. Now that you have been educated, maybe you will be more careful before you contribute your drivel.
BEsides virtually closing off Trellis Bay and jets blasting over the first high end resort to be built in years, there are a few other little technical details in the way. The approach glide path has to be 3 degrees so Quick Hill will have to be lowered by about 400′ and Kingstown Hill by 150′.
Why not just upgrade the ferries, make them stick to their schedules and run on time and come up with a practical design for the West End Ferry terminal? It doesn’t have to be a Taj Mahal. Just a comfortable and welcoming building to give a good impression.
At last a voice of reason
What do you know?
I know ignorant people start replies just as you did.
This is what I know, since I helped write it.
http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/advisory_circular/150-5325-4B/150_5325_4b.pdf
And this is what you know?
Does this mostly irrelevant information proves that the Beef Island airport cannot be extended to the same length as the one in St. Thomas (7100 feet)? Does it prove that a suitable off-runway apron cannot be provided at Beef Island (1000 x 300 feet like the one in St. Thomas)?
Does it prove that there are no other jets (capable of reaching Miami) requiring a shorter take-off than the 737-900? Hmmmm?
If those in charge would just stop doing what they THINK our guest want or listening to crazy developers who are intrested only in making their personal millions as they pilage and destroy what has made us a #1 vacation destination while makeing here their personal Disney Land. They just need to listen to the customer. This is not a case of building something and hoping that because it is here they will come they are already here. They say it over and over again and they are completely ignored. Most of our guest like the fact that everyone on the planet can’t get here. We have guest that come every year, have been coming 10, 20 years (most of them the buzz word 5 star clients we keep hearing so much about) not many countries can make that claim. You want more guest make what you have better improve what works. Make our National Parks real parks and viable. Ensure that our boating business, which is what put us on the map in the first place, has the best and is the best. Stop looking at other countries that have gone down the same dead end road, dare to be diffrent.It is so easy to do but maybe that is the problem
Excellent point. Unfortunately BVIslanders are afflicted with the envy sickness. If St Thomas has it they want it too. St Thomas had crime, now we have it as well. St Thomas was made ugly by wild development and garbage everywhere. We are following on those footsteps. St Thomas is full of stupid people and now so is Tortola.
“The new NDP Government certainly has its work cut out in this regard.”
Why place it all on the gov’t? If the people of the BVI would clean up and take pride in their land, provide quality service and get rid of the ridiculous 10%+ “service charge” on accommodations,which is pocketed by the management, you would see QUALITY tourism grow. And while I am on the subject of ridiculous charges, lets add the 7% govt tax on hotels and villas. Either extend that to charter boats or get rid of it all together. A larger % of money spent by people staying in hotels and villas benefits the BVI directly, while much of charter boat revenue goes out of the country.
Mr Igwe, I need to tell you that wanting something does not make it so. Enlarging the airport to accommodate the largest of jets that will connect the BVI directly to the US, Canada and Europe is not economically feasible for the following reasons;
1. The Runway will need to be lengthened and Enlarged and thickened to support the added weight of the larger craft. This will mean that the present runway will be out of commission for several months cutting the BVI off from the world.
2. The cost will be prohibitive and will not be justified by what little increased revenue there is.
3. The comparison with St Maarten is ridiculous; St Maarten is much larger than Beef Island and has more flat surfaces to work with. St Maarten’s airport was financed by the Netherlands – who will finance ours? St Maarten is a duty free zone offering Tax Free Fuel. Is the BVI ready to eliminate duty and taxes on Fuel. St Maarten has a revenue guarantee arrangement with the airlines. Can we afford the 100s of thousands of $ to reach the same arrangement with the airlines?
If we are serious about attracting more tourists the start out by cleaning the islands, eliminate all airport and seaport taxes and fees and make the airlines reflect those savings in their pricing, last but most important we need to make it safe for tourists to come to the BVI. The increased crime rate of the past few years is insuring that tourists stay away.
Forget about the larger airport – concentrate on what we already have.
I would like to see it happen. But I’m now sure that it would lower the pricing of tickets for folks LEAVING Tortola to go abroad on vacation/travelling and such.
Call me selfish, but that’s what I’d really like to see happen. So if a bigger airport can attract more planes/jets and possibly other Airlines and tickets go down, I’m for it.
But then again I’m a simple man. By choice I chose not to look and debate on details such as this from a feasible standpoint, especially since it already seems like they aint got enough space up there to even do half of what we talking about.
So..yeah. Clean up the Island, for all of us. We who living on it and them who stepping into it. Interesting Article Mr Igwe.
IT. WON’T. HAPPEN.
It is not just a matter of extending the runway. The support facilities that would be required would require 100′s if not 1,000 acres alone.
Concentrate on cleaning up the islands and providing a QUALITY experience. They will come.
I agree with you. Re-building the airport to accommodate the elusive direct flight is a waste of time and money.
I agree with you. The good quality experience starts upon arrival. It is not a good start when tourists arrive and there are only two immigration officers working at snail pace and then to add insult to injury only 1 customs officer meaning that it is usually more than 20 minutes before a tourist can start the vacation. That is with only 60 people on board. Can you imagine if, god forbid a plane with 160 people arrives. The vacation will be over before they leave the airport.
What do you know? Did you not read where the man wrote that a study was done and it was found to be feasible?
If it can be done in St. Thomas, it can be done at Beef Island. All we need are a couple flights a week to/from the American east coast. So there is no need for 100′s or 1000 acres as you put it.
I’m sure even Americans do not like to fly through Puerto Rico.
You can have a study done to show anything is feasible. Traffic lights at roundabouts, racetracks, golf courses, etc. Feasibility studies take money, sensibility takes a brain.
BRAVO!
People arriving on flights in St Thomas do not have to go through immigration and customs. Tourists arriving in St Thomas will go to reasonably priced hotels, affordable villa rentals, cheap restaurants, etc….. why would budget tourists come to the BVI? Hotels are expensive, restaurants are pricy, holiday rentals are exhorbitant, taxis overpriced, etc…. Dream On
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