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UPDATE: Aircraft aborting landing @ Beef Island was not airport’s fault- BVIAA CEO

- said airport runway lights were working fine & control tower was active
A Sky High Aviation Services aircraft that had originated from the Dominican Republic was allegedly forced to abort landing at Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport on Beef Island due to visibility issues last night, August 10, 2022. Photo: ch.aviation.com/File
According to CEO of the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA) Mr Kurt A. Menal, the initial report has shown that the airport runway lights were properly working and the control tower was active at the time. Photo: File
According to CEO of the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA) Mr Kurt A. Menal, the initial report has shown that the airport runway lights were properly working and the control tower was active at the time. Photo: File
Stranded passengers of Sky High Aviation Services at Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport last night, August 10, 2022, after their flight was cancelled. Photo: Team of Reporters
Stranded passengers of Sky High Aviation Services at Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport last night, August 10, 2022, after their flight was cancelled. Photo: Team of Reporters
BEEF ISLAND, VI- The reason for the aircraft of Sky High Aviation Services aborting a scheduled landing at Terrance B. Lettsome Airport last night, August 10, 2022, rests with the pilot and airline as the airport runway lights were working properly.

This is according to CEO of the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA) Mr Kurt A. Menal, who told our newsroom today, August 11, 2022, that the initial report has shown that the airport runway lights were properly working and the control tower was active at the time.

He said the report also indicates that the runway lights were switched on and off to allow the pilot to discern the runway lights and they were even turned up to their brightest; however, the pilot instead went to its alternate route, which was St Maarten.

Mr Menal said an investigation will be done to determine what exactly was the issue.

Sky High Aviation Services only told our newsroom the reason the pilot didn’t land at Beef Island was due to “operational reasons.”

See previous article published August 11, 2022

Aircraft from DR allegedly aborts landing due to poor lighting @ Beef Island

An aircraft that had originated from the Dominican Republic was allegedly forced to return to that country after it was unable to make a landing at Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport on Beef Island due to poor lighting on the runway last night, August 10, 2022.

The aircraft, belonging to Sky High Aviation Services, was reportedly delayed in the Dominican Republic as it was scheduled to be in the Virgin Islands before 2:00 pm; however, it reportedly arrived in the VI after 9:00 pm but allegedly could not land.

According to reports from a passenger, who said he was scheduled to travel to the Dominican Republic from Beef Island on the same aircraft but, along with several other persons, ended up waiting for nearly 10 hours at the airport, they were subsequently told the flight was cancelled.

Aircraft forced to return to DR

The same passenger told our newsroom that it was conveyed to them by the airline personnel that since the pilot could not land the plane at Beef Island, after circling the runway about three times due to poor visibility, he flew the plane to St Croix for fuel and returned to the Dominican Republic.

The affected passengers in the Virgin Islands are reportedly scheduled to travel today via the same airline.

Our newsroom reached out to Sky High Aviation Services for a comment, but none was given up to the time of publication.

Efforts to get a comment from the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA) were unsuccessful.

25 Responses to “UPDATE: Aircraft aborting landing @ Beef Island was not airport’s fault- BVIAA CEO”

  • 999 (11/08/2022, 07:35) Like (36) Dislike (3) Reply
    The leaders only care for the investors don’t you think in 2022 our country still facing such simple matters: our roads in very poor conditions: where does the money go because during sitting large sums of money are spoken
  • It happens (11/08/2022, 09:12) Like (19) Dislike (4) Reply
    Is the airport fully paid up with BVIEC? Have the maintenance crew who look after such things been paid? Are they even doing their jobs? Or, was the person in charge of lights engaged in something else?
    • Arrion (11/08/2022, 17:30) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      Did anyone think that maybe the airplane was supposed to meet a certain employee and the signal would be lights off, don't land because someone there is watching, lights on, land because the coast is clear? Dirty businesses have their own signals. Just a thought.
  • bad (11/08/2022, 09:30) Like (21) Dislike (0) Reply
    @ 999. As God. Facts. The roads are in a very bad state. This place is small so therefore the road shouldn't be this bad
  • NezRez (11/08/2022, 09:34) Like (48) Dislike (4) Reply
    This was a very dangerous situation. What if the plane needed to refuel to make the trip back? Why wasn't there proper lighting on the runway? This place is getting worse and worse. What in the hell is happening here??????
  • vi (11/08/2022, 09:42) Like (8) Dislike (4) Reply
    That’s what you call good governance
  • jack (11/08/2022, 09:49) Like (8) Dislike (39) Reply
    This is how they treat the Spanish community they don’t care
  • PT09 (11/08/2022, 10:36) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    @jack, What you said is stupid the plane could could have been coming from anywhere.
  • QUAM (11/08/2022, 10:36) Like (12) Dislike (6) Reply
    SKY is not a good airline. i will continue to travel with inter Caribbean. That line is not reliable and even though u buy a ticket to travel on a date its not a guarantee because they always delay or have some issues. PEOLPLE IF U WANT TO TRAVEL TO YOUR COUNTRY PLEASE TRAVEL WITH INTER CARIBBEAN SO U CAN GET HOME.
  • Really? (11/08/2022, 10:42) Like (17) Dislike (3) Reply
    Poor lighting on the roads at night and poor lighting at the airport at night. Why is this place operating like we are 50 yrs back in time on these issues? Heaven help us.
  • ok (11/08/2022, 10:59) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    It's not airport's fault. Thanks for letting us know. Now can they improve lights on the roads from west to east, in that order. Please and thank you.
  • Observe (11/08/2022, 10:59) Like (21) Dislike (0) Reply
    something fishy is going on. it does not make economic sense for the aircraft to divert to st croix where it ultimately landed to then return back to santo. passengers said themselves the area was dark when they were approaching and as far as i am aware, there was no bad weather yesterday. something fishy that needs investigating.
  • Yolanda (11/08/2022, 11:11) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
    Please read this article and see it was not the Airport fault. Why are we so quick to jump to conclusions before we get the facts. The pilot made the right decision. Thank God every thing turned out alright.
  • All Mess T . Ca (11/08/2022, 11:45) Like (4) Dislike (10) Reply
    And how does the Spanish community treat the VI..their mothers and brothers ,sisters e rs,prostituting on the streets in clubs in the Vi where prostitution is illegal. How many enjoying permanent relaxation in the VI prison creating an overcrowded situation.Those who have murdered, machetes their weapons of choice.
    DR where the unrelentless genocide of Haitians is openly sanctioned. Racism and colorism is practiced....No dark skin tellers or front desk receptionists,airline employees etc..
    Tourism sex, human trafficking,witchcraft,illiteracy are their commodities export.
    Scourge of humanity wherever they slither or wag including USA,Europe.



    • trevor (11/08/2022, 14:54) Like (6) Dislike (3) Reply
      Harsh.
      Who went to DR and brought back the worst of the place?
      BVI men, they went to get the loose women and desperate men to work for them.
      Import the lowest types, what did we expect to happen?
      Blame yourself for some of problem.
    • @All MessT.Ca (11/08/2022, 17:00) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
      Please tell me that you have not been smoking that bad stuff again.
  • vex (11/08/2022, 12:19) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
    We need to boycott sky high
  • No Confidence (11/08/2022, 13:32) Like (20) Dislike (2) Reply
    If the Pilot was not familiar with the airport at night or was just scared to land, he should have just said so -_-. Buh operational issues on a full moon lit night and he had help. Ppl buying licenses these days, Im convinced
  • The Name on the Plane Says it All (11/08/2022, 13:33) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    They stayed in the SKY alright
  • TALK THAT (11/08/2022, 14:58) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    Kye only lighted up his district
  • Corrupt & Lie. (11/08/2022, 15:20) Like (7) Dislike (9) Reply
    I don't believe nothing coming from the people in authority in the BVI. They are all corrupt and lie. I believe the Pilot 100%...
  • Please know your facts (13/08/2022, 00:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I've lived in the BVI for 12 years and yet I've only met one Spanish person...

    First about, please don't through the discrimination card in something that is clearly and technical/operational issue.

    Second, please learn that Spanish people are born in Spain, a country in Europe. The correct term is Hispanic. While Hispanic and Latino are often used interchangeably though they actually mean two different things. Hispanic refers to people who speak Spanish and/or are descended from Spanish-speaking populations (including people from Spain), while Latino refers to people who are from or descended from people from Latin America (Including Brazilian people who actually speak Portuguese).

    I know this is hard to follow when even Dominicans refer to themselves as the Spanish community, but likewise, I always correct them when they refer to the BVI nationals or people from other Caribbean islands as English people.

    Back to the topic, Airlines are pretty bad nowadays, I'd issue flying with Intercaribbean who cancelled me a flight to the DR after waiting for 10 hrs. in the airport and had been told that the next IC plane landing was to take us to the DR when at the end it took the people who were waiting to go to PR (and actually supposed to fly in the PM with the plane coming back to the DR) who had been there waiting for a couple of hours.
  • Hmm (13/08/2022, 10:21) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    How all the other planes landed that same night before and even after that aircraft turned back but only them couldn’t land??? Something up their sleeves man


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