The BVI Airports Authority has been elected to serve as an advisor on the governing board of Airports Council International for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The election was held during the ACI-LAC Annual Assembly Conference and Exhibition in Miami from Nov. 5-7, according to the BVIAA, which joined the council in 2019.

“Our two-year term as an advisor will see the authority actively contributing to the council’s mission and vision, particularly focusing on air transport liberalization in Latin America and the Caribbean and on actively addressing the perennial issue of intraregional connectivity,” BVIAA Managing Director Kurt Menal said in a Monday press release.

While leading the VI delegation to the conference last week, Mr. Menal also took part in a panel discussion on air transport liberalisation, the release stated.

The ACI

As of January 2023, the ACI served 712 members and operated in 1,925 airports in 171 countries, according to the BVIAA.

The council is organised and governed in a federal manner and includes ACI World and five ACI Regions: Africa, Asia-Pacific and Middle East, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America.

“The governing board of ACI ensures that policy recommendations and activities represent the collective interests of ACI members, and the [BVIAA’s] appointment will not only allow the authority to provide crucial leadership but also act as a strategic link between the authority and over 700 business partners associated with ACI-LAC,” Mr. Menal said.

This direct access, he added, is expected to strengthen the Virgin Islands government’s ongoing collaboration with the council as it works to expand the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport.

‘Valuable resources’

Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer praised the BVIAA.

“Such a recognition not only highlights the expertise of the authority’s team, but also positions the territory to tap into valuable resources for our airport development project, fostering growth and connectivity for the BVI’s sustainable development,” he said.

In addition to being an advisor, the BIVAA is also represented on several subcommittees of ACI-LAC, the press release stated.

Representation

The broader ACI organisation represents the collective interests of airports around the world by working with governments, regional ACI members, experts, and international organisations like the International Civil Aviation Organization to develop policies, programmes, and best practices that advance airport standards globally, according to the BVIAA.