Cracks in the runway, worn-out surfaces on taxiways, faulty and in some cases non-existent floor markings at Saint Thomas Airport (Cyril E. King) have earned the operator a hefty fine. It is worth noting that the airport is operated by the public sector and is very busy. The list of deficiencies that the FAA accuses the US Virgin Islands Port Authority of is extremely long. The tip of the iceberg is probably that not even a NOTAM was issued about the damage to the runway and other deficiencies. This is certainly relevant to safety, because crews who are not familiar with the local conditions may not know how to deal with them. Even the fuel depot has been criticized by the FAA as being faulty and defective. In view of the considerable defects and damage, it is questionable why an operating ban has not yet been issued. However, the airport is operated by the public sector and not by a private operator, which in no way makes the situation any better. And it gets even weirder: The FAA first criticized the conditions in 2021, then in 2022, and this year the officials are probably at their wits' end. From the FAA's point of view, despite many promises and assurances, nothing has been repaired or improved. Now a fine of 477.000 US dollars has been imposed. Remarkably, this is a civil fine. The authority concerned was given a one-month deadline to comment. At the same time, pressure is being exerted, because if the notification of defects is ignored, the airport now reserves the right to be taken offline until the problem is resolved.