GeorgeC1 said:
Turboprops are far cheaper then jets to operate especially in segments under 200 miles.
That would only be true if you could economically justify even flying legs of less than 300 miles. Economically those short legs never make sense financially anymore. See above; $100-150 to fly 90 miles. That also adds at least three hours each way to the trip from the East Coast and +/-$300 roundtrip. An airborne 737 from MIA or any US airport can cover that same ground for 9 cents per passenger mile or less or less than $10 incremental per passenger. Whether ferry or propeller plane from anywhere in the Caribbean the connection to get to Tortola does great harm to the 21st Century tourism. That is why today's newspaper also says the cabinet is now unanimous that the airport must somehow be expanded. There was also press over the weekend from the minority political opposition demanding the project go forward with the lowest cost bidder. That would be the politically unpopular Chinese at $150M. The local favorite is asking for $50M more. The project is design build so there is no way to make like to like comparison.
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