▁combined ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁SV G ▁Air ▁/ ▁Gren ad ine ▁Air ▁Alliance , ▁operating ▁ 1 7 ▁A ircraft , ▁with ▁bases ▁in ▁St . ▁Vincent , ▁Ant igua ▁and ▁Gren ada . ▁Of fer ing ▁visitors ▁and ▁residents ▁a ▁wider ▁choice ▁of ▁International ▁Gate ways ▁in ▁and ▁out ▁of ▁St . ▁Vincent ▁& ▁the ▁Gren ad ines . ▁ ▁Over view ▁▁ ▁For ▁many ▁years , ▁Be quia ▁could ▁only ▁be ▁reached ▁by ▁sea ▁and ▁it ▁continues ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁favorite ▁destination ▁for ▁y ach ts men ▁from ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁V ess els ▁of ▁all ▁shapes ▁and ▁sizes ▁fill ▁Port ▁Elizabeth ▁har bor , ▁from ▁lux ury ▁y ach ts ▁and ▁motor ized ▁boats ▁to ▁old ▁wooden ▁sch oon ers ▁and ▁small ▁cru ise ▁ships . ▁ ▁The ▁absence ▁of ▁an ▁a irst rip ▁on ▁Be quia ▁constit uted ▁a ▁major ▁constraint ▁to ▁tour ism ▁development . ▁Ear lier ▁studies ▁suggested , ▁to ▁solve ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁air ▁transport , ▁a ▁feas ibility ▁study ▁( 1 9 8 6 ) ▁recommended ▁construction ▁of ▁an ▁a irst rip ▁with ▁a ▁run way ▁length ▁of ▁ 8 5 0 ▁m ▁capable ▁of ▁extension ▁to ▁ 1 , 1 9 0 ▁m ▁and ▁the ▁location ▁identified ▁was ▁on ▁land ▁to ▁be ▁rec laimed . ▁ ▁The ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁J . ▁F . ▁Mitchell ▁Airport ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁has ▁made ▁the ▁island ▁far ▁more ▁accessible , ▁with ▁regular ▁scheduled ▁and ▁char ter ▁fl ights ▁from ▁Barb ados , ▁St