Why such a stretch to justify a runway? Can you name a single geezer employee that is forbidden to travel by an employee contract you describe? Of course you cannot. And how many seats on these daily multiple flights do you claim these phantom individuals forbidden to travel by employers take up?
There are a lot of people with health issues that do not travel out of the US for that reason. A very wealthy friend who got us started visiting the USVI sold his Villa on St. John because of heart problems and his wife's declining health. He in no way would make air evac a criteria..has it on STT..not worth the risk to him. It is in no way going to fill seats with health compromised elderly people.

Currently coach is about a grand into EIS from St. Louis . Listening to you and more importantly George C who knows the inner workings of the airline industry in the nasty now and now rather than the sweet bye and bye ..I suspect that price would be at least 1800 in COACH.. When arriving in STT there are several islanders, lots of tourists with accomodations on STT,l a huge % going to St. John and a smaller contingent going to the BVI to bareboat or a land stay. I have never seen a ferry too crowded to board.

When an airline lands in SJU, there are many islanders aboard, and a huge % of tourists going to various Caribbean destinations.

When a large jet would land at EIS that would be the destination of nearly every passenger. Which is the best business model to fill aircraft?
Would a family of 4 choose to pay 7200 $ airfare and arrive at west end for a charter at 5 pm after a 120$ taxi ride or arrive at 5 paying 2400$ airfare plus 200$ ferry trip?

Your claim of "walk up and fly" also shows a lack of understanding of economics. In yesteryear, I rode on many flights where I had not rows but "sections" of an aircraft to myself. Indeed often would move passengers on a huge aircraft to properly distribute the weight. Those airlines all went bankrupt, cut fares to be competitive with SWA at the time a low price carrier..not so much these days. They went broke for various reasons but not flying with seats full topped the list. You don't see much of that these days. The reorganized airlines cut seats..the Arizona desert was full of them. They are now profitable because for the most part they are competitive on routes and fill planes with coach passengers. Your claim that they will go back to a previous business model and fly with a few well heeled passengers, accountants and financing consultants and corporate types who are forbidden to travel as you describe that don't exist is ludicrous.
For a healthy BVI tourism ..underwriting ferries and cape air would be a lot more beneficial. From our small city service on Cape Air is 50$ each way to St. Louis 120 miles. It's subsidized . Imagine the effects of a similar service from SJU to EIS and VJI .. It would likely be far cheaper and net revenue gain than this albatross .

If you can just "walk up and fly"