Take a look at these flight attendant uniforms.
New flight attendant uniform <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Other options... Deliverance, Chase Boat and Ice Delivery Staff, Ferry Crew and/or ticket sales staff?

I think this would be good to increase sales among the Yacht Week crowd, bachelor parties, & guys' trips. Otherwiiise... maybe not so much. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

This airline company just bought 200 planes. They started in business 5 years ago. Unbelievable growth rate. And BVI Airways will have 3 planes.

Well... hmmm... not that I'm a fan of the whole EIS airport expansion plans but I think this is a little bit apples and oranges. Vietnam population is around 90M (though unlikely many can afford air travel). BVI is what? Something like 30K? My guess is that the Vietnam market is also pretty virgin - not much in terms of entrenched competition/other choices.

I like the uniforms but I must be getting old or maybe I need to see a dr. about some testosterone. My first thought was a concern for how they would stay warm on the plane <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

There is no secret sauce here. The global airline industry is very mature and uber efficient. If the BVI wishes to have a future in the high end hospitality and business markets. They must have an industry standard runway and areas to handle the planes and passengers. Those are table stakes. The equivalent of customer oriented business with a driveway, parking lot, and welcoming front door. That is what EIS must become.

Bermuda is the seeing eye dog here showing the way. Build the driveway, parking lot, and front door. Then pay the airlines subsidies (Minimum Revenue Guarantees) to have daily flights from the cities that the BVI wants to attract.

The airline subsidies are the equivalent of the gas pedal for the economy. When the BVI wants more bodies in boats, villas, or hotels. You pay an airline or two cash to bring those customers to the door.

You can read the details on how this works in the airline and hospitality industry here. FYI, Bermuda has far fewer overnight visitors that the BVI with a Bermuda population of 65,000.

http://www.bermuda-online.org/airlines.htm

Here's <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" /> to hoping that never happens.

A few differences to consider. Bermuda has a 9,669' runway built by the US Airforce. USAF, USCG and USDHS maintain operations at the airport and pay rent that covers almost half of the operating costs. Bermuda 12/30 is aligned with the prevailing winds and has straight in ILS approaches in both directions. About half the average air miles from almost any east coast city to Bermuda as to the BVI. Landing fees at Bermuda are minimal whereas the fees required to amortize and operate the Beef Island extension are estimated at $140 per person.

And finally, Bermuda does not have an alternate airport with better facilities and full IFR 30 miles away.

"Beef Island extension are estimated at $140 per person."

That concept will not play out as a fee on a flight ticket with the major airlines. Tortola will either pay, subsidize, compensate, revenue guarantee the majors for direct flights or they will not serve the market. That is how the game is played.

The costs for tourism infrastructure are best funded as a hotel, villa, boat fee or tax as a percentage of revenue. You simply pay the airlines to carry enough visitors at the times they want to travel to keep your hospitality beds full. Charging people at the airport is just as shortsighted as trying to charge big bucks to park at the mall. Few will come in to buy.

The other option for all the VI is for the governments of St. Thomas and Tortola to join forces and take down any appearance of a border between St. Thomas and Tortola including ferry service direct from STT every hour until one hour after the last plane leaves for the day.

Today is Tortola is going with independence. I do not believe St. Thomas has given the BVI any choice. The BVI will partner with the Chinese to build whatever is needed. You do not have to watch the news long to learn the Chinese are fantastic making deep sea into land. They did not invent that. Look at the histories of Boston and New York City. The other detail ignored by many. The performance of commercial passenger jets are getting much better and much quieter at the same time.


The entire travel industry is in a race to direct jet service that operates near 10 cents per passenger per mile. The cost in money and time to go up and down more than once in a travel day is no longer viable. Yes, there will always be exceptions. You do not want your entire economy dependent on connecting flights and exceptions to the rules in this century.

The real or total costs of anyone landing, transferring planes, taking off again with a connections at SJU is greater than $140. The real or total costs of anyone landing at STT, getting a taxi to chase down an uncertain ferry that may or may not be hospitable to then clear C&I on Tortola, to then get in another taxi is certainly greater than $140. The uncertainty of ingress and egress to the BVI is likely reducing the revenue of every inn and villa operator more than $140 per week or per quest in their investment.

If the math and reality of the hospitality market of this century is not persuasive? Simply get The Donald's cell phone or tweet him with the message. "We have abandoned our neighbors on Tortola." "The Chinese are now swooping in to build a bomber and submarine base right in our backyard." "There are also large numbers of skinny bikini clad girls somehow involved." I am sure The Donald will right the ship in short order.

I'm quite sure Trump-economics is not a viable discussion topic on ttol.