To the left of the arrivals area at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport is a separate pair of doors at the end of a red carpet. What’s beyond that looks like the inside of the main terminal — there’s a waiting area, restrooms, and a station for customs and immigration officers — except it’s much fancier.
The centre’s private lounge and other services aim to meet the high expectations of the corporate executives and high-net-worth individuals who use private jets.
“When these aircraft arrive … we meet them, we guide them through the entry process — it’s the same entry process that you or I would get traveling commercially — but we create a private and exclusive space to do it in, unhurried space,” he said.
The company has run a centre in the Virgin Islands since the end of March, five months after the BVI Airports Authority granted the firm the rights to set up shop at the airport.
The VI facility is the company’s fourth — others are in Barbados, Grenada and Jamaica. IAM also offers jet services at 24 other airports across the Caribbean that lack dedicated jet facilities known as fixed-base operations.
See the June 5, 2014 edition for full coverage.
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