Ladies and gentlemen, good morning.

It is a pleasure to welcome all of you to the Virgin Islands as we mark another important milestone in strengthening regional air connectivity. Today, we celebrate the inaugural TransAnguilla Airways direct flight between Anguilla and the BVI - an achievement that reflects both the deep bonds between our two Territories and the growing opportunities for travel, business, and partnership across our region.

To the passengers arriving on this inaugural service, a warm Virgin Islands welcome. To the leadership and team of TransAnguilla Airways, we are delighted to have you with us and even more delighted to see your continued confidence in the BVI market. While this Tortola-Anguilla route is new, your presence here is not. TransAnguilla Airways has been serving Virgin Gorda through charter operations for some time. The addition of this new direct scheduled service, therefore represents an expansion of TransAnguilla’s presence in the BVI. Your decision to expand your services in the BVI demonstrates the potential and confidence you see in the Virgin Islands and the value of strengthening our regional links – and for this, we thank you.

The relationship between Anguilla and the Virgin Islands is longstanding and meaningful. Many of our residents have family, cultural, and professional ties to Anguilla, and this service will make it easier for them to stay connected. This route opens up convenient opportunities for travellers from the BVI to access connecting flights through Anguilla to the US Mainland and other destinations in the Caribbean and beyond. And conversely, persons from those destinations can transit through Anguilla to get to the BVI. This will help to support leisure and business travel throughout the region.

I want to express sincere appreciation to the Anguilla Tourist Board, which has championed this initiative under the theme, “Strengthening Regional Connectivity.” This theme captures exactly what today represents: a commitment to making travel within the Caribbean more accessible, more efficient, and more supportive of tourism, commerce, and people‑to‑people exchange between Tortola and Anguilla.

I also extend thanks to the Ministry of Communications and Works; the Board and Management of the BVI Airports Authority; the Airlift Committee; our ground handlers; and all partners whose efforts have brought this service to fruition. Your dedication continues to expand the aviation landscape of the Virgin Islands and create new opportunities for our people.

To TransAnguilla Airways, we welcome you wholeheartedly and encourage you to continue exploring additional direct services between the BVI and the other destinations you serve. The demand is here. The BVI is home to a vibrant community of Caribbean nationals who would welcome more options to visit family, manage business, and travel across the region. As the Virgin Islands deepens its engagement with CARICOM, the need for reliable intra‑regional travel will only increase.

Once again, we congratulate TransAnguilla Airways on this inaugural flight and welcome your team to the Virgin Islands. The Government of the Virgin Islands stands ready to support the continued growth of airlift and the expansion of opportunities in our aviation sector.

Thank you, and welcome to the BVI.

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