BVI News

New In-Transit Lounge coming to Beef Island Airport

Inside the TB Lettsome International Airport on Beef Island.

The BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA) is set to launch its In-Transit Lounge at the Terrance B Lettsome International Airport on Saturday, February 1.

Announcing the launch on Wednesday, Premier Andrew Fahie said the lounge will be for air passengers who are transiting through the Beef Island airport to catch connecting flights to their destination country.

“This will impact positively on the experience of transiting passengers, as airline operators are already indicating. With increasing frequency, airlines are using our airport at Beef Island as a transit hub to other Caribbean airports, and this facility will encourage growth in this aspect of our airport business,” Premier Fahie stated.

He added: “The BVIAA will earn revenue from the lounge as a $10 levy will be charged to transiting passengers.”

New BVIAA Board praised

Premier Fahie also commended the BVIAA board for its leadership role in implementing an initiative which will benefit the territory by making maximum use of the limited resources present.

“What is even more commendable is that the current board and management have been able to achieve this simply by repurposing a space that was previously underutilised and conducting some renovations to the space to outfit it for this purpose,” Fahie stated.

Fahie, who is also the Minister of Finance, further said this initiative will help to move the territory closer to achieving its goal of having world-class air travel facilities and services.

The Premier said he believes this goal is critical if the territory is to successfully transform into a leading regional economy by 2025.

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22 Comments

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  1. Lodger says:

    How much will it cost to collect the $10?

    Like 9
    Dislike 1
    • $10 says:

      The BVI is becoming known in the Caribbean as the Territory heading for the toilet. All other islands are booming. Tourism is up, real estate sales are up and their economies are blooming. Here in the BVI the government works diligently to piss off tourists and now people that are passing through. You are truly an ugly people.

      Like 16
      Dislike 4
    • Who says:

      Who and what people will use Beef Island as a transfer hub? This airport is not exactly a hub of activity. No airline is based here thus why would anyone transfer here. Simply doesn’t make any sense. Just like most of Fahies schemes.

    • Peter Lachiewicz says:

      I was preparing to fly into Tortola Beef Island…..with the $10 per person fee….I decided to fly into St Thomas…no per person fee there and they welcome all in my group with two free shots of Cruzan Rum….Sorry BVI…..I still love you, but wont fly into Beef Islsnd!
      Dr. Peter Lachiewicz

  2. larry says:

    good question, it will not work

    Like 8
    Dislike 2
  3. Traveller says:

    Wow. Are they serious. A charge of $10 to use the transit lounge. What if i choose to stay on the plane.

    Like 22
  4. Norman says:

    Hooray, Another fee!

    Like 16
    • Moses says:

      Does the BVI have the highest tourist fees of any place on the planet? What does it now cost a family of five to arrive and depart?

      Let my people go (for free not a high fee).

  5. Utter nonsense says:

    While we might be in the revenue generating mode there is also a need to pay attention to the industry in which we operate. Most airports have long moved pass capitalising on intransit passengers as a revenue stream. The objective these days is to capitalize on non-aeronautical revenue streams.

    If this is the type of thinking our Premier is prepared to endorse the VI is in poor trouble.

    Other airports in the Caribbean have long moved pass this fee. Lol.

    Like 22
  6. More tax? says:

    So people will be penalized with USD10 to transfer through beef island.

    Why on earth do we always want to make sure people stay away?

    Like 20
    • Hmmm. says:

      Other countries do it. With those other countries it’s included in the ticket. Its also good because you get to check people through security again. I don’t here anyone complain when they have to get off the plane in Barbados or Antigua and get back on the same aircraft.

      Like 2
      Dislike 7
    • Hmmm. says:

      Other countries do it. With those other countries it’s included in the ticket. Its also good because you get to check people through security again. I don’t hear anyone complain when they have to get off the plane in Barbados or Antigua and get back on the same aircraft.

      Like 3
      Dislike 3
  7. vip heckler says:

    The VIP will kill both the cash cow and the goose that lays the golden egg at the same time

  8. Boyy says:

    Service there sucks anyway. Like your an inconvenience for showing up. Now you want me to relax in a lounge? Tortola meh son give up. Y’all can’t do anything right besides hide money and spend it on the wrong stuff.

  9. Banana Republic says:

    We’re starting to look cheap and tawdry with all our petty fees and taxes. The Customs Docks look like a Turkish Bazaar of government agencies, each with a hand out, trying to ring blood from a stone.
    Cheap & Tawdry

    Like 18
    Dislike 1
    • Absolome says:

      Our immigration and customs people could be trained on how to interact with our guests. The could be trained in hospitality skills.

  10. reader says:

    I know the government has to seek ways to gain more revenue but, the way they go about it is just a darn turn off. The services and facilities we provide should be outstanding and at the front and center of attention and people would happily pay what is required of them, instead they go about asking for additional revenue for mediocre services and facilities and then try to justify the new charges. It’s like when your land lord raise the rent without doing any upgrade. lol

  11. WOW says:

    Some of you in BVI really ignorant and negative

    Like 3
    Dislike 4
  12. what :O says:

    Right here we will loose customers,is there an option not to use the intransit lounge, is the lounge mandatory for intransit passengers? why should you have to pay to pass through a country?

    World class service you say, you want to replace all the airline direct employees with handlers and expect to get world class service !

    This place is going to hell faster than a canoe without a paddle down a river, SMH.

  13. Concerned1 says:

    Firstly, its not the passengers fault he /she is in transit its the airline. Secondly,what flight comes to the bvi and transits to another destination anyway? Thirdly, if the in-transit lounge is on the airside of the terminal, then the passengers would have to be screened again before boarding, there are no concessions available for the in-transit passenger while they wait on their flight.Waste of time

  14. Chasmo says:

    You must be joking. A $10.00 fee to land and a $20.00 fee to leave is enough already and now you want to add another $10.00 just to transit. This government is a joke. Keep it up and nobody will want to come back. How about working with an airline that that flies directly from the states to Tortola for those that want to spend time and money here, rather than spending time on the cruise ship crowd that spends nothing. How about adding a longe with some decent food. How about paving the road and putting in a sidewalk down to the ferry dock.How about getting rid of the belonger line for incoming flights that serves nobody and makes getting through customs a cluster f**k. Please, let’s just hire the right polite people that know how to serve and service people the right way. I can go on but it will be pointless because the government just doesn’t care about tourism, they just want to line their own pockets, as usual. Look at the mess over on Virgin Gorda too. The road in and out of the airport is disgusting, what a way to welcome visitors, a bad road in need of repaving and passing junk vehicles, what a welcoming view.

  15. People says:

    What is wrong with some of you in BVI? Everything to help BVI become better you all blog stupidness.
    Premier Fahie keep pushing ahead for a better BVI and do not mind the noise. You & your team are doing GREAT.

    Like 1
    Dislike 4

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