Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport (IATA: EIS, ICAO: TUPJ), previously known as Beef Island Airport, is the main airport serving the British Virgin Islands, a British overseas territory in the Caribbean. The airport serves as the gateway to just about all of the islands within the BVI. Many travellers fly into Beef Island, with the intention of taking a ferry to the other smaller British Virgin Islands. The airport is located on Beef Island, a small island off the main island of Tortola, to which it is connected by the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge.
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Overview
The Terrance B. Lettsome airport underwent a major $55 million renovation in 2004. After dredging was completed the runway was expanded to allow larger planes to operate into the airfield. This renovation was the largest capital project ever undertaken in the territory at that time. However, the airport currently does not receive any scheduled airline passenger jet service. The largest aircraft serving Tortola is the 64 passenger seat ATR-72 turboprop aircraft operated by Leeward Islands Air Transport (LIAT). Recently, Seaborne Airlines began operating Saab 340 turboprop aircraft into the airport.
Some of the highlights of the renovation and expansion project include:
- A new 46,000 sq ft (4,300 m2). terminal building
- An enlarged flight apron
- A new control tower
- 3,700 ft (1,128 m). runway extension
- New airport road with expanded parking (150 parking stalls)
There is a $20 departure tax for anyone over the age of five years.
The airport houses the BVI Outstation of the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority.
British Virgin Islands Airport Code Video
Expansion
In 2016 the Government announced an expansion of the airport to increase the runway size by 2,504 feet. This followed years of speculation and proposals; discussions about expansion and how to finance it were being undertaken in 2014. Although initial reports indicated that the United Kingdom had approved the necessary financial borrowing, later reports suggested that the UK's consent had been withheld in connection with concerns about the financial viability of the project. Under agreed financial protocols, external borrowing by the BVI Government needs to be approved by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
On 27 December 2016 the Government announced that the tender to expand the airport had been won by China Communications Construction Company. The Premier, Orlando Smith, said "Negotiations will now get underway with the preferred bidder with a view to concluding a contractual agreement within three months, which delivers the right outcome for the people of this territory." According to Government, the runway will be extended from 4,645 feet to approximately 7,100 feet, and will thereby allow airline fleets including Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A320 aircraft to fly directly to and from the continental United States and Latin America.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
Historically, in 1986 the airport had scheduled passenger jet service operated by British Caribbean Airways, with direct flights to Miami. British Caribbean operated a British Aerospace BAe 146-100 jetliner. This was the only time that Tortola had airline jet service.
The return of Miami flights
Thirty years after the short-lived British Caribbean Airways offered jet service to Miami using British Aerospace BAe 146-100 aircraft, Tortola based BVI Airways will soon start Miami service using BAe 146-100 airliners. Unlike British Caribbean Airways, BVI Airways will have no intermediate stops for fuel. One of their planes arrived at Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport. It has originally been announced that the flights would start by Thanksgiving of 2016, but repeated delays have pushed the launch date back. On December 20, 2016, BVI Airways acquired its second jet.
Charter
Cargo
Accidents and incidents
- On 5 April 1971, Douglas C-47A N57372 of Vinair was damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident at Beef Island Airport. The aircraft was operating an international cargo flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- On 6 May 1993, a Short 330 turboprop operated by Atlantic Air BVI overran the runway and landed in the sea after aborting on takeoff. It was a passenger flight, and all passengers and crew survived. The airframe was damaged beyond economic repair, and was sunk as a scuba diving site off Great Dog Island.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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