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TB Lettsome airport departure tax scrapped, payments now in airline tickets

- departure tax booth at airport will remain opened as information centre & to deal with parking issues
The scrapping of the departure tax payment at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport booth was put in place from last year around September 24, 2016, but went into effect from November 1, 2016. Photo: VINO
According to Managing Director of the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA) Denniston S. Fraser MBA, LLB (right) the departure tax booth at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport will remain open to assist travellers with information and sort out parking issues. Photo: VINO/Caribbean News Service
According to Managing Director of the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA) Denniston S. Fraser MBA, LLB (right) the departure tax booth at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport will remain open to assist travellers with information and sort out parking issues. Photo: VINO/Caribbean News Service
BEEF ISLAND, VI- Passengers travelling regionally or internationally using the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport at Beef Island will no longer be required to pay their $20.00 departure tax directly at the airport booth.

This information was confirmed by Managing Director of the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA) Denniston S. Fraser MBA, LLB. The Authority, which falls under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour, is responsible for all three airports in the Virgin Islands.

Mr Fraser confirmed this information while testifying before the House of Assembly’s Standing Finance Committee while his agency was making a presentation on the 2017 Budget. He told the body that “payment of departure tax was now included in the tickets to facilitate passengers ease of travel.”

In an exclusive  interview with our newsroom, Mr Fraser further confirmed that this scrapping of departure tax payment at the airport booth was put in place from last year around September 24, 2016, but went into effect from November 1, 2016 giving it time to kick in.

Tickets after Nov 1, includes airport departure tax

It means going forward from November 1, 2016 according to the Managing Director, all tickets purchased for travel will include the department tax already paid for in tickets, therefore no one will have to pay at the booth. He further stated that if there were tickets purchased before September 24, 2016 then those persons will be required to pay their departure tax of $20.00 at the airport booth.

The $20.00 departure tax is broken down into $5.00 for airport security and $15.00 for the BVIAA.

When asked, if the booth will be closed eventually and staff laid off, Mr Fraser said “no.” He stated “the staff will be used as information resource for questions, along with persons having issues with the parking machine and the parking lot.” However, he told our newsroom this move was part of the BVIAA's “cost saving measures.”

The only passengers who will be required to pay are those who are traveling on private flights "or if traveling on an airline with whom we have no agreement or is not associated with IATA," Mr Fraser added.

The departure tax collected through the tickets is facilitated via the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

34 Responses to “TB Lettsome airport departure tax scrapped, payments now in airline tickets”

  • Thank you! (12/03/2017, 20:13) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    It was an annoying embarrassment!
  • just asking.. (12/03/2017, 21:03) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ok great so i could be late for my flight and go stright to the gate....when we going get mechine check in?
  • Liat 521 (12/03/2017, 21:05) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    what happen they could not trust the airlines?
    • Really? (13/03/2017, 11:50) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      I believe the collectors weren't being as honest as they should.
    • Just another not wanting to collect their fees (14/03/2017, 11:03) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
      Airlines has nothing to do with this venture. BVIAA is placing their selves in a position to make the airlines prices look higher on the tickets, and their taxes look minimal. Just another scheme of soon to add in more fees. Read between the lines. BVIAA hmmm!
  • Afu (12/03/2017, 21:30) Like (9) Dislike (17) Reply
    Wow! These nasty little cliques still continue in BVI. Try considering the ferry boat departure taxes in both Virgin Gorda and Tortola also. A 98% majority of natives as well as tourists here leave and enter the BVI by ferry boat. I guess the 2% who travel by jet are the 'top notch'. Shame and disdain STILL LINGERS amongst us natives. Why not drop the departure tax for the ferry boat riders as well?
    • lmao (12/03/2017, 23:59) Like (27) Dislike (16) Reply
      Are you that stupid? Where did you read the departure tax at the airport was being lowered? Reading is fundamental, READ THE ARTICLE AGAIN!!!!
      • Inau (13/03/2017, 09:44) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
        @ Imao. Stupid fool! WELCOME TO TRUMP IS GREAT, TRUMP IS GOOD land. We are here to STAY STAY STAY! Try not calling people such snide names that describe who you are.
        • lmao (13/03/2017, 14:30) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
          The article clearly stated that the departure tax will now be included in airline tickets upon booking like it was in the past. This being the case there is no further need to have a separate booth to pay the said tax. It never said they were reducing any taxes just changing the way they collect it.
      • Thanks Imao! (13/03/2017, 10:00) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply


        IMAO stands for the following: I=ignorant M=moronic A=a$$onine O=obnoxious.
    • Read nah (13/03/2017, 06:35) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      The article didn't say that they got rid of the departure tax. It statesthat they have other means of collecting the money for the airlines affiliated with IATA; Private aircrafts passengers still have to pay at the departure tax window.
  • live (12/03/2017, 21:31) Like (7) Dislike (5) Reply
    Not a good move collect your own tax easier to monitor than the airline paying it at what time frame months after vs having a positive cash follow in the treasury daily that mean some people of out a job next cause there service not needed anymore to collect tax
  • lord o. (12/03/2017, 22:08) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good info. Old news.
    • @ lord O. (12/03/2017, 23:52) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      well thanks to vino I never knew I always travel via west end!
  • wize up (13/03/2017, 07:02) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    how will this payment be collected from the airline
  • Interested (13/03/2017, 07:56) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    How in the world are they going to get their money collected ? They had this problem before both at the airport and the seaport,the carriers were not paying the money over to Government.
  • justice (13/03/2017, 08:19) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well will bvi airways pay there $100,000 owed th the BVIAA?
  • stupid (13/03/2017, 08:45) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Back to the Future?
  • VG (13/03/2017, 08:49) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Let my people go!
  • The dag (13/03/2017, 09:43) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Paying depature tax when u purchase ur airline ticket is a step in the right direction
    It makes traveling a bit easier and smoother than b4
  • Music (13/03/2017, 10:11) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    So why did my daughter pay it leaving on 22nd Feb?
    • @ lodger (13/03/2017, 12:05) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Maybe her ticket was old buy before September 24, 2016 ....take time and read
  • same ole (13/03/2017, 11:01) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    I recall when airlines were responsible for collecting taxes here, many years ago, and instead of remitting the funds collected to the Treasury, they used to pocket it. What measures have been put in place to ensure this does not recur?
  • Well Well (13/03/2017, 11:42) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    i used to book my tickets online and they ALWAYS had the taxes included, but i would still pay departure taxes I always wonder why no one else noticed this
  • new party (13/03/2017, 14:29) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    it was the ndp who brought up that muck in the first place
  • NezRez (13/03/2017, 14:43) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    They finally are doing something smart to alleviate us standing in 2 long lines. This should have been done years ago. The same goes for departure tax on the ferries. Who will put this in motion?
  • qc (13/03/2017, 20:09) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thanks for nothing, BVIAA.
  • Tax Payer (13/03/2017, 22:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Since this was done before and failed what new have been put in place to make sure that all fees collected are actually turned over. I remember airlines listing a number of adults as children on manifest to avoid accounting for them since children under a certain age not required to pay departure tax only the security tax
  • Hiccup (14/03/2017, 11:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The person whom is making the decision to the head doesn't know about the last failure. It is a good thought to add it but your are placing the airlines to collect it to make their fares higher and you sit back and collect and only care about their selves BVIAA and not about the airlines. Sad, but you see when you put certain persons to make decisions instead of the head, things eventually go soar especially if your not familiar with the airport environment.


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