Premier inspired by Anguilla’s airport expansion

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley says he is inspired by Anguilla’s ongoing airport expansion, even as the BVI pushes ahead with its own long-discussed plans to lengthen the runway at the Terrance B Lettsome International Airport.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the BVI’s Diplomatic Week 2025, Premier Wheatley commended Anguilla’s efforts to expand its Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport, using revenue from the “.ai” internet domain that Anguilla owns.

“I noticed as well, you extended your airport runway,” Dr Wheatley said to Anguilla’s Premier Cora Richardson-Hodge during the discussion. “And I see that you’re welcoming flights now from New Jersey.”

He commended Richardson-Hodge for the work that was being done. “We ourselves are looking to extend our airport runway, but you know, we’re inspired about what’s happening in Anguilla. So we say, keep up the good work.”

Anguilla’s Premier confirmed that her government expects to welcome direct flights from New Jersey starting in December through BermudAir — a development made possible by its runway expansion. She explained that her country’s new financial strength comes from surging global demand for “.ai” domain names, a windfall generated by the artificial-intelligence boom.

Anguilla controls the “.ai” country-code domain, assigned in the 1980s, which has become a hot commodity among tech firms and Artificial Intelligence (AI) startups worldwide. Domain registrations have soared into the hundreds of thousands, generating an estimated US $7 to $9 million per month in revenue — roughly a quarter of Anguilla’s total government income. Premier Richardson-Hodge said this revenue stream has allowed her administration to establish funds, support tax reforms, and invest in infrastructure that “focuses on our people.”

In contrast, the BVI is still exploring funding models for its own airport expansion. Officials have said a public-private partnership remains on the table, with financing expected to come from a mix of government allocations, private investment, and passenger-based fees.

Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer announced that the government has approved the business case for the expansion, marking a key milestone in efforts to modernise the territory’s aviation infrastructure.

Rymer said Cabinet endorsed a runway extension to 7,000 feet as “the most viable and beneficial option to meet our territory’s aviation and economic needs”. He described the decision as “a major step toward our vision for a modern, competitive, and globally connected Virgin Islands”.

Still, the territory continues to wait for the exact funding details that will make the project a reality, especially amid pressing needs such as dilapidated roads, poor water infrastructure and other ongoing challenges within the financial services industry that is the BVI’s main economic earner.