By Makeda Mikael
Antigua recorded a bumper season for corporate jets over the past month as the 1% of the world’s rich converged on the Caribbean with their mega yachts and following service boats with helicopter, sea toys and crew quarters, and their jets parked in Antigua.
Photos show St. Bart’s almost hidden from view by the myriad of high-end luxury yachts surrounding the island. Antigua and St. Vincent also had their share of yachts, but Runway 10, V.C. Bird International Airport was clearly the the Caribbean’s parking lot of corporate aircraft.
When one considers that just 20 years ago Runway 10″was a derelict and Dis-Used airport runway where contraband was traded in the dark, a backyard dump of rubble from Castle Harbour Hotel through which trees grew blocking out the fantastic view of the sea and Jumby Bay island beyond Barnacle Point.
Today, Runway 10 Parking ramp also referred to a ramp E, although in desperate need of repair, was crammed with visiting aircraft from UK, Europe, U.S.and Latin America, some of which countries were not permitted to park on some of the other islands.
With the continued surges of the virus in the first and second world countries the rich, famous and Royal personages in their yachts are dropping anchor around the islands and homing at their Caribbean holiday homes and settling in for a longer stay this year.
The reports are that sales are on the rise for corporate aircraft and fractional ownership is moving up to individual ownership, creating new possibilities for more corporate movements around the world at all levels and types and sizes of of bizjets.
That Antigua is at a crossroads for expansion in corporate aviation was clearly exhibited this winter season, where parking on Bird Airport was close and must be expanded in recognition of Antigua being in the lead, with the first Full Service FBO in the Eastern Caribbean and the only 30,000 sq.ft. mega-hangar specifically built for corporate hangarage.
Plans are afoot to implement aspects of the development plans which have been on the table for several years including extra parking for the expected increase in hosting the region’s bizjet-to-yacht fleet of heavy metal.
It important to note that although one FBO is expatriate owned it was originally pioneered by locals and staffed with experienced Linesmen and Customer Service Representatives who are all Antiguan. Often the local initiative is overlooked because of an international name but it is usually the workers who make the name of any business, and a business is as good as its workers.
Antigua & Barbuda has been the haunt of the rich and famous with the advent of Mill Reef Club in latter part of the 1940s post W11 when war weary rich Americans chose Antigua over the other islands of the Caribbean for a holiday home away from the U.S. and Antigua was near enough to fly directly home.
With Mill Reef came PANAM, pioneering aviation in Antigua, and with Mill Reef came Corporate Aviation when the Flight Department of the Paul Melon aircraft in 1999 wrote to the Government of Antigua & Barbuda endorsing the need to support a locally owned Full Service FBO.
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Well this article is hardly surprising. In this economic climate the rich get richer. Antigua to them is just a playing field, show up in the summer time and use it as they want…..
Bumper Season for corporate jets ? That’s not the only thing gonna have a bumper season with these fools in charge Chuups .
The rich and famous flocked to Antigua because they could do whatever they wanted during a pandemic in Antigua… put us all at risk
COVID-19…the business entity is here to stay, and so too is the newest member of the Coronavirus family. The HUEman Family and the Coronavirus Family both go way back, way, way, way back as #Waring Gangsta Family’s!
The most the HUEman Family can do, could do is to keep members of the CoronaVirus Family at bay, and keep on living!
It means COVID-19 is going to be with Us for the foreseeable future, and Our Nation is no exception. There are positives and negatives in #All aspects of life, and decisiveness tends to sway the balance.
The Nation could, should and MUST make the best of situations like these. I can recall Mill Reef, the Melons and Half Moon Bay as a kid. I’ve observed the growth of this Industry built on foreigners and foreign direct investments from all angles! Yes while I’m optimistic that this is great in many ways, I still have concerns as to why, the #TrickleDownEffect takes so, so long to reach, the Get-E-Oh(ghetto) where many are still living hand to mouth, just to try and get out, and enjoy the simple beauty of what is bringing, has brought and will continue to bring, Mr. Dinero, the Chapaquidic Boston Crew, the Mena Arkansa Crew!
I’m hoping some of those “local employees” which are making the business what it is, can and should become don’t end up like, #KeepFlying LIAT!
Good information!
Life MUST go on!
Watch the ‘China Connection’ on Netflix. You have my greatest respect Ras Smood. I am not living in Antigua but I am an island woman. Thank you for making sense.
@Ursula…The Art of War is shadowed by, The Art of Deception!
The #ChineseConnection and any International Corporation has mastered the methodology’s of this principle, of War for Centuries.
As for “making sense,” I simply pay attention to what’s before me from different perspectives!
RASpect….
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