One of several Fly the Whale aircraft recently arrived at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport. Photo Credit: V.I. CONSORTIUM
Passengers travelling between islands for the tail end of Carnival festivities will have more options with a new carrier set to take to the skies by April 28th.
The pronouncement was made by Executive Director of the Virgin Islands Port Authority Carlton Dowe, during VIPA’s monthly board meeting held on Wednesday. During his report to the board, Mr. Dowe confirmed that a ribbon-cutting ceremony is expected to be held at the start of next week, with Fly The Whale’s inaugural flight scheduled days later.
As the Consortium recently reported, discussions between VIPA and Fly the Whale were initially delayed by the onset of the pandemic. However, talks eventually resumed with the carrier which currently operates charter flights in the Northeast, Florida, and The Bahamas. VIPA officials said they have long committed to addressing the age-old issue of increased options for travel within the territory.
Mr. Dowe previously stated that the pandemic also brought several changes to inter-island travel within the territory. By August 2022, issues such as a lack of pilots resulted in severe flight shortages between the islands. However, this is expected to be alleviated, at least in some measure, by the commencement of Fly The Whale’s daily flights.
The carrier, which will initially operate two small commuter aircraft, is expected to service passengers via 8 to 10 roundtrip flights a day. Fly The Whale will be headquartered on St. Croix and will travel between the Henry E. Rohlsen and Cyril E. King Airports. According to information emanating from Wednesday’s board meeting, the carrier will enter into a three-year lease agreement with VIPA permitting them to use space at both airports to facilitate passenger and aviation operations.
At the board meeting, it was also noted that VIPA had created an environment which could encourage airlines such as Fly The Whale to decide to operate within the territory. This includes a recent vote by VIPA officials to allow incentives to the carrier in the form of a break in operating and landing fees. While board officials noted that ticket fares will be influenced by competition, the cost of travel with Fly the Whale is expected to be cheaper than current rates.
