Premier and Minister for Finance Hon. Andrew Fahie said during his budget presentation on Thursday, November 11 that was one of the changes that are on the cards for the Taddy Bay Airport as it gets set to reopen on Thanksgiving, complete with a COVID-19 testing facility.

"Residents and tourism and business interests on the Sister Island can also look forward to more flights as a result of close communication with Airport Safety Support International (ASSI) for the lifting of the single-engine aircraft restriction that has been in place at the Airport for over 20 years," he said.

The territory’s leader said the lifting of this restriction will, for example, allow for single-engine aircraft flown by companies such as Trade Wind Aviation to operate into the airport.

“What does this mean? More people coming directly to Virgin Gorda by air and by sea, more economic activity, more persons being employed, more entrepreneurs. And Virgin Gorda being back to where it was and always will be as the Capital of tourism in the Virgin Islands.”

In addition, Premier Fahie said the BVI Airport Authority has teamed up with the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) to have the runway on Virgin Gorda paved to help further improve safety margins and usability of the Aerodrome, as well as looking into the extension of the runway.