BVI Airways flights still expected, work ongoing – Premier

While the territory grapples to recover from the devastation caused from last month’s hurricanes, Premier Dr D Orlando Smith has claimed that work is happening to get the long-delayed BVI Airways flights operational.

Government this year handed seven million of taxpayer dollars to the controversial airline to commence direct flights from the British Virgin Islands to Miami in the United States.

But after missing several of its scheduled dates to start operations, the airline announced that it was too broke to commence flights; and laid off all its pilots and flight attendants.

When asked yesterday whether government is minded to take back its $7 million from the airline and use the money to fund recovery efforts, Premier said he still expects BVI Airways to fly.

“It is true that that service has not materialized as yet but there is ongoing work about that,” Premier Smith said.

Dr Smith, who is also Minister of Finance continued: “We expect that service… [We expect] that they (BVI Airways) will provide what we have agreed.”

The National Democratic Party government has received much criticism about the seemingly questionable agreement between it and the airline.