Airport MD slams Beef Island roadside parking
The Terrance B Lettsome Airport on Beef Island
Managing Director of the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA), Kurt Menal, has urged motorists to stop parking along the roadway parallel to Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, warning that the practice is creating safety and traffic hazards on Beef Island.
Menal told 284 Media the Authority has formally engaged the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force to address the issue, which he described as a growing concern for airport operations and the wider motoring public. Vehicles parked along the side of the road, he explained, have narrowed the carriageway and increased the risk to drivers using the route.
“You would notice that there’s, for some reason, parking along the side of the road,” Menal said, adding that discussions were underway with the police and the Ministry of Communications to resolve the problem. “That has created a major problem, not just for the airport, but for the people who use the road because it has become a hazard,” he stated.
Menal issued a direct appeal to motorists to desist from parking near the airport roadway, emphasising that enforcement and physical measures are planned. “So I would appeal to the public now, do not park along the side of the road or the highway near to the airport,” he said.
He noted that road markings would be installed by the ministry and supplemented by bollards to prevent parking in the affected area, stressing that the BVIAA does not encourage the practice “in any way at all,” Menal stated.
The roadway serves as a key access route to the territory’s main airport and is used daily by airport traffic and commuters who take water taxis to the outer islands, heightening safety concerns when vehicles are left along the verge. The Airports Authority said the planned measures aim to restore safe passage along the corridor and reduce risks to motorists and airport users.
The practice of roadside parking escalated following the BVIAA’s introduction of a new automated parking system and standoff zone to improve airport traffic flow and enhance security at the Terrance B Lettsome International Airport last year. The parking system upgrade was part of a broader modernisation of the airport, which includes plans to lengthen the runway to accommodate larger aircraft.
Copyright 2026 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
He is just vex that the people refuse to pay BVIAA’s parking fees. Why would anyone pay to park in a lot that tells them park at their own risk? Dolt!
Not everyone making money like him. Some can’t even afford to buy the groceries they need to survive.
if you can afford to fly you can afford to pay for parking
People scrapping money to pay for high ticket how could you pay for parking
Scrape that to
shut yu r@$$$ you know who give me money to fly?
Not everyone parked there is flying out you clown.
FOOL THOUGHT WE WOULD LINE UP N PAY FOR STUPIDITY BETTER COME AGAIN
You should travel more! Most private car parks around the world have signage that states you are parking at your own risk.
However, I do agree with your point about he being vex that people are refusing to pay!
Perhaps the person’s point is that whether inside or outside the lot, it’s at your own risk, so why pay?♀️
The cars don’t appear to disruption traffic…. But when they was parking in the airport. Parking all up in front the entrance no one seem to cry out
But now there’s paid parking for workers who work there yall making a fuss about parking situation.
I advised all those who work there park on the grass or completely off road there’s plenty of areas. Then walk over. If them still make noise then you know there motives are clear! They only want the extra cash from their own workers by charging them to park in airport parking lot for your whole 8hr to 11hrs shift ……. craziness
People been parking on the airport road side for donkey years y’all never cry out about it. Now there’s subscription parking for their own workers then complaining cuz nobody wanna pay to park where they work. Talk greedy and wicked. But God is a righteous God and will bring justice. Carry on.
Perhaps the solution, rather than the usual install unsightly bollards and signs, is to provide sufficient parking at a reasonable cost. Where else can people park at the moment?
Typical BVI government approach to look to solve it with force rather that addressing the underlying problem.
I thought I read that staff parking is $30/month. That is cheap! Many places you’d be lucky to find one day parking for that. The same people who say they can’t afford $30 would spend that in one night at a bar.
If it’s legal to park there, sit down. If it’s not legal police should do their job. End of.
Bad parking has been a part of BVI culture since the first jeep hit the road back in the day.
Not sure I understand your argument. What is “bad parking”?
the same energy they have for not wanting cars park on the airport road is the same energy they should have for cars parking along the east end road the fort hill road and all the roads in the bvi that is causing obstruction to pedestrians and the motoring public. the parking along the airport road is not causing any inconvenience to the motoring public. a lot of accidents on the road ways is caused by vehicles parked on the side of the road.tell me if any accident every occur because of vehicle parking on the airport road?? I even read a post that someone senior in the tourism sector speaking about how unsightly the parking at the airport looks. wow just wow.this according to her look bad but as soon as you past the beef island bridge heading west its ok to park on the side of the road its not unsightly anymore. bunch of hypocrites.
Let he go back the heII where he come from. We been parking outside there since God made man and ain no darned hazard nor anything. Worry about the dumb azzed line going into the departure line where only one person can go in at a time and causes a bottleneck. Worry about us not being able to drop off or pick up passengers like every other darned airport in the world! Worry about why you as a foreigner can fire local people and take bread out of their mouth but you eating high off the BVI hog. Worry about why we don’t have better facilities for private and charter planes. Worry about why the VG and Anegada airports have not been developed. If you had better and more efficient services being provided, then maybe we would park in the parking lot. If the darned gate used to work properly and if you had an attendant out there like every other airport in the world, then maybe we would park in the parking lot. Why the machine to pay is inside by the terminal so i have to get out my car to go walk to the terminal to put in my receipt, for the machine to tell me how much i owe, to then pay and then walk back to my car to then go out to the exit gate arm, only for it not to be working so i have to press the button to HOPE someone in the terminal is there to answer and open the gate for me? Tell that dotish dude shut the HeII up and get out we country and put someone with common sense in his place! Let he park he azz up outside of we BVI. He has brought no value to the BVI in his time.
PREACH!!!
That’s not true. The parking at the side of the road started recently. The sad thing is they are mostly employees of the airport. It looks very ghetto. There is clearly no parking signs there but like everything here police do not enforce the laws. $30 per month is not too much for parking. There is a grassy area to the bottom why can’t the workers utilize that area? Only when a serious accident happen will this be addressed.
For lappy azz years people parking there to hike, to walk, during drag race, old years/ new years and the list goes on..long before the airport ever dream to expand.
Where the hell are people suppose to park mister, on your head or pubic?
For god sake, provide adequate space for a reasonable price and move on with work, business and life.
Exactly what’s wrong with the BVI. Let him go back where he is from because he is talking sense. We travel and abide by the rules overseas with no problems but at home it’s an issue. If it is a fact that employees are the ones parking there and have an option to park inside for $30 per month then the solution is simple, get RVIPF to ticket all of them daily until they stop doing bullshit. This is the airport we are talking about and look at the attitudes.
you guys charge too much to park at the airport, i will continue to park for free
Menal is correct. This has nothing to do with his dam salary stupid commenting Jack Donkey.
Oh, and you a spanish one? Please bray in your language
Sounds like a combination of sour grapes and BS to me. It’s been going on for years so the Director is only now noticing? Did he bother to ask himself what was the root of the problem?
Could it possibly be that one cannot drive through to pick up nor drop off without getting involved in a an avariscious Airport Authority parking payment system that functions somewhere between complicated, disfunctional, and nonsensical. Whatever happened to “Keep It Simple”?
This all sounds like a recipe for Director Menal receiving his just rewards.
all because somebody trying to be relevant made a facebook video post some weeks ago. For all the businesses at Trellis Bay including the outer islands and VG travellers, there is no parking space. Some people travel every day. The parking fee for an hour at the airport parking lot is more than what some of them earn an hour. I drive to Red Hook St. Thomas and people going St. John park on the side of the road. BVI people always into them feelings deh man and them like to jump on everybody.
I landed Beef Island one day and heading to catch Speedys. When I say there was not a spot to park nowhere on that end, there was not a spot and same time people who trying to catch the boat circling for a space. What are they suppose to do
A relative in u.k. pays over 100 pounds a month for parking at her job. $30 is not too steep.
How much is that relative being paid. How much does groceries, utilities and rent cost in the UK. How much does UK day care cost and gas for their car? How much picknee does she have? Compare apples with apples and then come back to the discussion table.
Do y’all see BVI cost of living?
You think adding another monthly expense onto hard paying tax workers is the best move?
Not even a discount for workers who work there long shifts etc. them done get salve hours and peanuts for payments
Rent, bills, cost of living, gas, bad roads mashing up yuh car leading to more expense.
It surprises me that we don’t have more homeless people.but we getting there soon with this attitude. I’ve some people huddled up on a 1 bedroom apartment. Single mother with 3 kids… Sheesh blows them must be getting..imagine others.
The only airport in the world that charges to drop off / pick up passengers and makes you park and walk to the machine so they can steal your money
This is the comment that I have been waiting for. Excellent argument!
Drop-off and pick-up are free, with a 15-minute grace period. The people parking outside are airline workers whose employers refuse to pay for their keycard access. Let’s be honest here.
I dont agree with parking at the side of the road but I do agree that we should have free drop off with no parking fees or ridiculour situation where you have to walk back and forth to get ticket to leave
You don’t pay to drop off or pick up.
Why do you have to pay to drop off or pick up passengers?
No airport in the world does this!!. There are always officers monitoring the drop off and pick up areas to ensure that persons do not park up there so why don’t you get that done in BVI Mr. Menal. Stuppes!!
You need to travel, virtually every airport in the UK does this. Where you think they got the idea?
We are not in the UK. I’ve never been to an airport that charges for pickup and drop off access for travelers. Charging employees is also ridiculous.
Go England and see every airport charges dropoff Isually $10.
But no machine. You have a day to pay online and it works easy.
But I see no problem with parking legally on side of roads. It’s all about money!
That is staff that parking there cause Dey don’t want to pay $30 for a month of parking. $1 a day
Come on ayo
Workers should not pay for parking
Instrad designate a parking for worketd. It looks horrible with all those cars on the grass . How sre they going to cut the grass abd keep the airport grom looking like s ghette
Dhame on the wuk up
Government who spend thousands and taxing the poor workers to
Oay for parking
Then stop charging for parking in the car park.
Maybe make a separate parking lot for staff?
This guy is a control freak, he already have leaving passengers dropped off far from the terminal have to pull their bags in rain and sun. Say other countries doing it. Those countries have covering to protect from sun especially rain..Now you he is getting involved in what doesn’t concern him, I wonder if this another foreigner that hate locals and intend to make our lives difficult..
What is most concerning is the flow from passenger pickup to exiting the airport. As someone else on here mentioned, you now have to park farther away when picking someone up. If the arriving passenger has a lot of luggage, there is no practical way for them to carry everything, particularly during rain.
The current payment machine near the terminal still creates inconvenience for drivers assisting passengers. For a small airport, a more practical system would be to keep the terminal machine but also have a machine or staffed booth at the exit. This would give drivers flexibility, reduce walking and luggage hassles, and help keep traffic moving smoothly.
A more balanced airport access policy begins, strangely enough, not at an airport at all, but in the quiet pre dawn moment when a traveller closes the front door behind them. In that moment, the journey is still human. A son helps load a suitcase into the boot. A parent checks their passport twice. A neighbour waves from across the street. Travel begins in community, not in a revenue spreadsheet, and any policy that forgets this will eventually lose the trust of the very people it claims to serve, especially now that there is no more middle ground between the poor and rich. Let’s not forget retirees
Imagine a different kind of airport morning. The roads leading in are calm, not because drivers have been priced out, but because the system is designed with flow in mind. Clear signage guides cars into two distinct lanes: one for quick drop offs, another for longer goodbyes. The quick drop lane is free for ten minutes — genuinely free, not a trap disguised as generosity. Cameras still monitor traffic, but the purpose is safety, not fines. The longer goodbye lane leads to a short stay area where the first half hour is low cost, predictable, and capped. No one feels rushed. No one feels punished for caring enough to walk a loved one to the door.
In this balanced model, the airport becomes a gateway again — not a barrier. It welcomes. It facilitates. It understands that the first and last moments of a journey shape the entire memory of a trip. A grandmother returning from a funeral shouldn’t step into a $100 fine because her ride was delayed in traffic. A student flying abroad for the first time shouldn’t begin their adventure with a penalty charge. A family picking up a relative shouldn’t have to circle the airport like fugitives to avoid a fee.
Beautifully said! The ones in authority should read this……..we are becoming too commercialised and the humane factor is fading slowly……..
Yes it is ridiculous. My granny has to walk all the way from the parking lot with her luggage because I can’t drop her off curbside. Who came up with this….even the US airports, St. Thomas, PR you can drop a passenger off with their luggage at curbside.
Plus the parking fees are ridiculous…. only companies or the rich can pay to leave their car in there overnight, much less 7 days!!! Guess the idea of generating income is not going to generate income because of the high costs.
I agree, they should have two parking terminal machines, one at the terminal and one at the exit. Give persons a choice as many times people have to go put their luggage in their vehicle then walk back to the machine or better yet, forget and drive to the exit only to have to turn back to go to the terminal machine.