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Seaborne Airlines Begins Taking Flights to Virgin Gorda

July 18, 2007 — The opening ceremony for Seaborne Airlines’ seaplane service to Virgin Gorda was held Tuesday at the Captain Owen G. Harrigan Visitor Centre at Gun Creek, North Sound, Virgin Gorda.
The commencement marked a cooperative effort by the BVI government, BVI Tourist Board, Air Safety Support International (ASSI) and Seaborne Airlines, according to a Seaborne news release. They have worked together in the past two years to establish the first certified water aerodrome in the BVI and U.K. and to expand the visitor's center for seaplane service.
“It took a high level of cooperation to get this done,” said BVI Tourism Board Chairman Russell Harrigan, according to the release.
The inaugural flight marked the beginning of Seaborne Airlines’ direct round-trip weekend service from St. Thomas to Virgin Gorda starting Friday. Seaborne flights arrive and depart from the visitor's center at Gun Creek, which encompasses a customs and immigration checkpoint and seaplane dock. It also offers ferry connections to the surrounding resorts, as well as parking and taxi service.
“In an ever-more-competitive world, it is those economies that can work together that will rise above the rest to quickly and efficiently bring the demand together with supply,” said Omer ErSelcuk, president and CEO of Seaborne Airlines. “We look forward to markedly improving logistical connections between the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and increasing economic productivity with the speed of commerce.”
Virgin Gorda is the second-largest population center of the British Virgin Islands, with approximately 3,000 residents. According to the BVI Department Planning Unit, population figures reflect an increase of more than 20 percent within the past 10 years.
Seaborne is projected to fly 1,500 to 2,000 visitors to Virgin Gorda in the next six months and hopes to increase to daily service by late 2007. A round-trip ticket from St. Thomas to Virgin Gorda will cost approximately $170. Seaborne is introducing round-trip fares as low as $99 through Aug. 5, 2007.
Seaborne Airlines serves the Virgin Islands with daily commercial flights to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Christiansted, St. Croix; Old San Juan, Puerto Rico; and now weekend service to North Sound, Virgin Gorda. With two pilots and two engines, the company operates five deHavilland Twin Otter DHC-6 float planes capable of carrying 17 passengers. Seaborne Airlines has carried more than one million passengers since 1993.
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