Méndez urges expansion of Vieques airport

By THE STAR STAFF

Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez seeks to promote the expansion of operations at the Antonio Rivera Rodríguez regional airport in the offshore island municipality of Vieques with the aim of attracting international flights, new routes, airlines and aircraft with more capacity.

“The Vieques regional airport has received several recent refurbishments that have made possible the possible expansion of air operations, including aircraft of greater capacity, as well as new routes and even the establishment of new airlines,” Méndez said. “We believe that the time has come to promote this operational expansion in this facility that results in greater economic activity; that is why we are evaluating a series of alternatives toward those ends.”

Méndez, who represents District 36 (Río Grande, Luquillo, Fajardo, Ceiba, Vieques and Culebra), stressed that with the upcoming inauguration of the new hospital, as well as the dormitory for doctors and other health care personnel, there will be greater passenger and cargo traffic in Vieques. 

“Among the concepts currently under evaluation is the establishment of agreements to facilitate international air routes -- for instance, with the British Virgin Islands -- as well as an increase in the volume of private and charter flights,” he said. “Likewise, the inauguration of the hospital is expected to attract additional flights; this is an area we will be discussing with Mayor José ‘Junito’ Corcino in order to review his proposals and concepts.”

The Vieques airport features a single runway that is capable of handling small propeller planes as well as jet-powered aircraft, such as certain models of the Embraer Phenom, Pilatus PC, Hondajet and Cessna Citation, among others.