Putting together a NOV visit to the BVI. Fed up with the ferries. I got a quote from Island birds for a 5 person charter but even with a discount it was 2500 for 5 people round trip plus the 40 dollar per person departure tax from EIS for a total of 2700. I seem to recall someone quoting far lower charter prices. Any suggestions?
G

I think VG Air Charter was $400, but we had 8.

I would try Air America. I've never priced EIS but they always have the best fare to NGD.

The website is showing $1150 one way for an Aztec. If you call, maybe you can work a discount for round trip.

Good luck.
Jason

I think VI Airlink offers charters between SJU/EIS

Grab a quote from Fly BVI....only have good things to say about them.

http://bviaircharters.com/


...for our group of 8 or 9, this is consistently the cheaper flight option.

Another vote for Air America, great service and a Heineken upon boarding. We have used them twice and the out bound from BVI was great. Hector met us at EIS at 2:30pm and escorted us onto his plane, very cool.

I've used Island Birds many times and never once were they late and they always meet you at the gate you arrive at and walk you to the plane.
It's a no hassle no worry and worth every nickel.

George, if times work out, another option is a cape air commuter book..would just fit your crew of 5 and be 1800 for ten one way tickets.

We have used Island Birds three times and Air American once. Both were very pleasant experiences.

My memory tells me between VG and sju was $1,125 in February (island birds) and $825 between STT and sju (Air America).

But we only had 3 people. I think our flight for 5 was over $2,000 between sju and VG a couple of years ago. The upside is we can fly to sju much less expensive than stt or eis.

Try a charter with Air Sunshine

Why not just fly Air Sunshine, Cape Air or Seaborne. You have time and the rates will be cheaper.

I second the cape air option. At 1799 its cheaper than private charter. You just need to work in their schedule, but they have a lot of flights.

Bingo. Air sunshines site says 325.00 r/t pp. Not sure if they handle 5. Somebody in the jump seat and 4 in the rear seats should work. www.airsunshine.com

Air Sunshine are 8 passenger and 1 in jump seat.
We have used them twice. The ride into Virgin Gorda is the best part <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />
Landed there both times enroute to EIS... Customs is really easy there <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for all the options. Cape Air will probably be the route we take. They often leave the luggage behind and we are taking a lot of dive gear. Planning for a immediate departure out of the BVI on arrival so hoped for another option.
As a professional pilot and long involved in air safety Air Sunshine is not a option for me at any price.

We always bring a lot of bags and so far haven't had a trip where they haven't gone on our plane or a plane leaving at the same time as us. Maybe we're just lucky?

It depends on the weight of the passengers and bags. The other 4 going are all ex division 1 football players. Bags seem to come the next morning on the first flight in which often runs empty. The aircraft is not capable of 9 passengers and baggage. The useful load with a reduced fuel load for the short flight would be no more then 2000 lbs. 9 200 lb passengers leaves room for only 200 lbs of luggage. The good news is cape air is honest with the weights. Other small airlines often not so much!
G
G

You know far more about this than any of us George.,. And caution on another airline was well received after looking it up. And use Cape Air a lot between St Louis and my home town..BVI should do that subsidy.:) yesterday out of virgin Gorda was the second time we have done that. Usually just the admiral and I . We had some heavy bags and the other 5 passengers did not look "under bagged"..but watched them several times weigh those bags . When asking what I weighed..I told her the 209 I weighed on start of trip..She said nicely..what do you weigh today sir... Went with 209.. They take it seriously ..a good thing. I watched em poking and pushing hard to get the baggage in. I do believe you have less to worry about to EIS than VG...they often have multiple planes heading out at nearly same time to EIS to accommodate traffic..VG not so much. My bet is that they will get your gear and your heavy weight companions to EIS bout same time though not with certainty on same plane. For every football player there is usually someone of cheerleader size going to EIS. ..:)

What you have to watch out for are those who give their high school cheerleader weight that is 25 years and a lot interpretation behind them!
G