July 14, 2008 — The V.I. Port Authority has hired consultant Robin Lee Monroe and Associates to examine air service and demand at St. Croix's Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in hopes of hiking the number of flights there.
"It's a fairly common procedure that goes on at airports large and small," Port Authority spokesman Marc Stridiron said Monday. "They'll survey hotels and local economic activity."
The goal is to bring new airlines to St. Croix or convince ones that already fly there to increase service. Air service to St. Croix is less frequent and costs more than to St. Thomas, Stridiron pointed out.
He said airlines may not be aware of recent economic developments such as Stanford Financial Group and Diageo PLC setting up shop on St. Croix.
Omer ErSelcuk, who heads the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce, said that "it's always good to have an objective group of professionals review the existing situation."
While the Port Authority has called in professional consultants, ErSelcuk said it doesn't take anything away from the work already done by Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson Doty and Gov. John deJongh Jr. in addressing St. Croix's air transportation woes.
"They've done a lot of work already and they've done it in a time of spiraling fuel costs," ErSelcuk said.
The project is funded through a U.S. Department of Transportation Small Community Air Service Development Program grant. Stridiron did not know the grant amount.
Representatives from Robin Lee Monroe outlined their plans for the undertaking at a project launch meeting held July 10. The meeting was attended by St. Croix Chamber of Commerce Chairman Omer ErSelcuk, Port Authority Interim Executive Director Kenn Hobson, Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson Doty, Paul Arnold of the V.I. Economic Development Authority, and V.I. Hotel and Tourism Association President Richard Doumeng. Port Authority governing board members Gordon Finch, Robert O’Connor Jr., Public Works Commissioner Darryl Smalls, and Yvonne Thraen also attended.
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