WILLEMSTAD – Two days later than announced Aruba Airlines initiated its flights between Aruba and Curaçao. The airline finally started but with some changes. First, the number of flights per day.

Earlier they announced three flights per day, but now it is two per day. Because of the number of sold tickets, the airline is conserving changing it to three times per day but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Another change is the type of aircraft the airline will be using for these flights. Initially, the company announced that they will operate the Bombardier Dash 8 Q300. Instead, the company is flying this route with a Bombardier CRJ2000 which also seats 50 passengers. The airline hopes to get a second CRJ2000 soon which can be used as a backup and also for charter flights.

The aircraft is a wet lease from Voyageur Airways.

Because a solution was needed at the last minute, the flights could not continue on Monday, 23 and Tuesday, October 24. According to the Chief Financial Officer of Aruba Airlines, Francisco Arendsz the airline immediately stopped selling tickets when it became clear that the ordered Dash-8 would not arrive on time. “We were calling people directly, meaning those who booked a ticket with us. We transferred them to another day or returned them their money,” said Arendsz in a press conference held at the Curaçao Hato Airport. This press conference was specially held for the local media.

Also, the announced flights between Aruba and Bonaire did not continue. According to Arendsz, this has to do with the Dutch Civil Aviation Authority that has to grant a license. That takes longer than the airline has thought. “But I expect that we can fly to Bonaire starting November 16. We then start with three times a week.”

Photo: Francisco Arendsz

Bron: Curacao Chronicle