Ralph Blanchard, independent aviation consultant and president of the U.S. Virgin Islands Airways, is once again asking the local government and the private sector to consider developing their own tourist airline.
Blanchard, who began his crusade more than 13 years ago, is in the territory this week talking to key people about the plan.
He thinks he has the support of the new administration He points to Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's statement in the latter's State of the Territory address that "the time might be right to explore the feasibility of the government investing in an airline."
But acting Tourism Commissioner Clement "Cain" Magras is less enthusiastic about direct government funding.
"We must minimize the government's role," Magras told the Source. "We don't want a government airline. What we want is an airline that is designated an official Virgin Islands airline — with affordable prices."
Blanchard said he needs to raise $10 million to provide daily service from two cities, Miami and Newark. Two 727 jets would provide 109,000 additional seats a year, a 30 percent increase over current seating capacity.
Blanchard wants a contribution from the government of a little more than $2 million. That would show government willingness to "aggressively" market the territory as a vacation destination, Blanchard said.
Despite Magras' reluctance to directly involve the government, he met Wednesday with Blanchard to discuss securing investment money from a combination of quasi-government agencies and outside capitalists.
There is speculation one of those agencies may be the West Indian Co. Edward Thomas, president of WICO, suggested last December that WICO and the Port Authority, two major revenue generators, could assist the government by jointly subsidizing an airline.
Thomas said that there still is a possibility that WICO could assist with "startup" money, and that he and Blanchard have met.
Nick Pourzal, managing director of Marriott's Frenchman's Reef, the biggest hotel here, said he has long supported the idea of a territory airline. "It is more important than advertising," Pourzal said. "I've got a half-page ad in the New York Times and I've seen no pickup in reservations for February."
The airlines currently are charging $800 to $1,000 for a round-trip seat, according to Pourzal.
"It is time we reaize we are an airline-seat economy," he said. "In the years when we had reasonably priced seats available, hotel sales were good. Now that we don't, sales are down."
Blanchard declined to say how much his airline would charge passengers, except to say the fares would be "awfully good, intended to draw people to the territory."
