The airline’s last flight out of the territory was on March 31, 2013, and the airline said the phase-out after more than 25 years of service was because there was a decline in flights after September 2011.

The airline commenced service to the territory with a 19-seat plane in September 1986 flying from Puerto Rico, and it upgraded to a 64-seat ATR 72.

Notwithstanding the challenges that plague the territory’s aviation industry, such as the need for an updated, longer runway, Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has been in discussion regarding the return of American Airlines to the Virgin Islands.

Discussion ongoing for some time- Premier

Premier Fahie said during the VIP Let’s Talk on Tuesday, July 28, 2021, that the discussions with the carrier have been going on for some time.

He said this was even before Anguilla’s recent success in negotiating direct flights from the US mainland to its airport.

“There are some factors that must be known because some persons just like to speak, where our airport is some 800 feet shorter than Anguilla,” he said.

He noted that “one of the areas that they (American Airlines) have concerns with us is that the length that we do have, they can come in, but they are concerned that if they come in full, and it’s raining, and it's wet that they cannot land and they don’t want to take that chance. So we have been working with them, and we have had more meetings to see what we can narrow down.”

Plans for the airport expansion has been discussed for many years, and Premier Fahie said the plan would eventually come to fruition.

American Airlines is expanding its base in the region and has also added Dominica to its new route.