Smooth Landing – 79 Passengers On Inaugural American Airlines Miami To Tortola Direct Flight

An American Airlines plane carrying a total of 79 passengers today made the historic inaugural trip from Miami to the Terrance B Lettsome International Airport on Beef Island, Tortola.

Flight – AA3990 – landed smoothly at 1:15p.m. on June 1 with a group of happy passengers, including the British Virgin Islands Premier and Tourism Minister Natalio Wheatley and Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer, to loud cheers from a waiting crowd, which included Deputy Premier Lorna Smith, National Democratic Chairman and Eight Electoral District Representative Marlon Penn, officials from the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board, students, senior citizens and members of the business community.

A second plane with another 79 passengers is expected to arrive at 3:00 p.m.

Passengers and the crew of the three-hour flight were greeted in true cultural style by the Mocka Jumbies, local fungi band The Razorblades and Moviene Fahie and her famous decorated mule.

Direct air access from the mainland United States to the territory is a major achievement for the government and a boost to the local tourism industry, which continues to recover following the covid-19 pandemic.

An estimated 703,000 visitors are projected to visit the territory in 2023, of which about 292,000, would be overnight visitors, according to government predictions.

Some 2,128 passengers are expected to fly monthly to the territory with American Airlines without battling connections and island-hopping.

The last direct flight from Miami to the BVI was in October 1986 with the now defunct British Caribbean Airways.

The American Airline flight will operate from June 1 to August 14, and resume services in November this year.

Daily flights will depart Miami at 10:07 a.m. and arrive at Terrance B Lettsome Airport on Beef Island at 1:06 p.m. Return flights will depart at 1:47 p.m. and arrive at 4:25 p.m. in Miami.