Montana's Neptune Aviation Services adds maiden ARJ-100 ch-aviation PRO exclusive

The government of the British Virgin Islands has issued a Notification of Breach of Contract to stalled local start-up carrier BVI Airways (BVI, Beef Island).

According to BVI Platinum News, the Caribbean islands' Premier and Minister of Finance, D. Orlando Smith, told a parliamentary Q&A session last week that the letter was dispatched to BVI Airways on October 1 of this year.

“Whatever next steps happen will take place on the advice of the attorney general,” he said.

Earlier this year, Smith's government granted a loan of around USD7 million to BVI Airways to assist in the launch of scheduled passenger flights to the United States. Under the terms of the loan, BVI Airways was to have repaid government from operating profits generated during the first three years of commercial service.

However, despite completing certification, the carrier laid off all staff and suspended all operations in July citing a "regulatory process" that, because of its drawn-out nature, had put a "significant strain on the company's finances". It also blamed government's "ill-timed announcement" concerning a...

BVI Airways (BVI, Beef Island) - the Caribbean airline which was due to start scheduled passenger services between Beef Island and Miami Int'l this week - has laid off all its staff due to a cash shortage brought on by regulatory delays.

"BVI Airways regretfully announces that it is immediately laying off its entire flight crew (pilots and flight attendants) as a result of ongoing delays," the airline said in a statement widely quoted in British Virgin media. "Hopefully, this will be a very short-term situation as we continue to work through remaining issues with the Government and will be able to commence flights shortly."

The private airline, which has also received around USD7 million in government funds, has said that pre-operating costs have depleted its cash reserves.

"The regulatory process took much longer than all parties expected, and has put a significant strain on the company's finances," BVI Airways' statement said.

In an earlier statement, the airline said that the government's announcement of a redevelopment program at the airport had hampered...

BVI Airways (BVI, Beef Island) has confirmed it will begin scheduled passenger flights later this month. The Caribbean-based carrier said in a statement a 2x weekly return service between Beef Island, British Virgin Islands, and Miami Int'l would commence on July 22 using ARJ-100 equipment.

Since completing and securing its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) in January, BVI Airways has run occasional charter flights as well as an ACMI contract for Sunrise Airways (S6, Port au Prince).

Bulgaria Air (FB, Sofia) has ended BAe 146-200 operations after LZ-HBZ (cn E2103) was acquired by Neptune Aviation Services (Missoula), Skyliner Aviation reports.

The twenty-eight year-old jet, now re-registered N477NA, will shortly undergo conversion into a water bomber prior to its redelivery to Neptune.

The Bulgarian carrier has a further twelve active aircraft in its fleet including two A319-100s, three A320-200s, one ARJ-70, two B737-300s and four EMB-190s.