There is also a helicopter shuttle service, which offers air taxi services to a number of sites around the island, mainly on the West Coast tourist belt. Air and maritime traffic is regulated by the Barbados Port Authority. As a result, the FAA has assigned Barbados an International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Category 2 rating. With a Category 2 rating, Barbados’ air carriers, which do not currently serve the United States, cannot establish U.S. service.   

A Category 2 rating means a country either lacks laws or regulations necessary to oversee air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards, or that its civil aviation authority equivalent to the FAA for aviation safety matters is deficient in one or more areas, such as technical expertise, trained personnel, record keeping or inspection procedures.  

As part of the FAA’s IASA program, the agency assesses the civil aviation authorities of all countries with air carriers that operate or have applied to fly to the United States and makes that information available to the public. The assessments determine whether or not foreign civil aviation authorities are meeting ICAO safety standards, not FAA regulations. The civil aviation authority of Barbados is currently conducting certification on an air carrier with the goal of serving the United States.