Dutch Antilles Express now banned from Curaçao; ATRs grounded

InselAir objects to Winair's Curacao service

InselAir (7I, Curacao) has said that it will consider taking Winair (WM, St. Maarten) to court over its recently launched Curacao – St. Maarten – Port au Prince service, if an agreement cannot be reached with the Curaçao Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA). InselAir Deputy CEO Juni Sluis told Amigoe newspaper that he believes in competition, but only when it is 'fair'.

Winair commenced the route on June 3 using an MD-82 wet-leased from PAWA Dominicana (7N, Santo Domingo Las Américas). InselAir's objection stems from the treatment it itself received in the past, when it attempted to launch a route using an aircraft wet-leased from Surinam Airways (PY, Paramaribo Int'l). At that time, InselAir's application was rejected by the CCAA, as it would have caused commercial harm to the then-incumbent now-defunct airline Dutch Antilles Express (9H, Curacao).

However, the CCAA has so far not agreed with InselAir's objection. In a response, the CCAA said that the current situation cannot be compared to the situation...

Dutch Antilles Express to make a comeback?

Failed carrier Dutch Antilles Express (9H, Curacao) is hoping to restart operations in the Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao (the ABC islands), reports the Curaçao Chronicle. Former owner Nelson Ramiz has said in an interview that the new government of Curaçao, which was elected in December, has an opportunity to reinstate the carrier's Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) and allow him to relaunch the airline.

Ramiz criticised the current services provided by InselAir (7I, Curacao), InselAir Aruba (8I, Aruba) and Aruba Airlines (AG, Aruba) and said that the islands need "a well-funded and visionary airline with a business plan that will develop the proper service between these islands" as well as provide direct services to the United States.

Dutch Antilles Express was declared bankrupt in September 2013 by the Court of First Instance of Curaçao after staff were not paid for more than two months. Before it went out of business, it flew from Curaçao to Aruba, Bogotá, Bonaire, Caracas Simón Bolivar, Miami Int'l...

Bulgaria's ALK Airlines to use Fokker 100s for charter ops

ALK Airlines (VBB, Sofia) is a Bulgarian passenger charter start-up planning to operate a pair of ex-Dutch Antilles Express (9H, Curacao) Fokker 100s initially.

Thus far, LZ-FDB (cn 11310) has been ferried to Varna for maintenance while PJ-DAB (cn 11331) is still in Curacao undergoing pre-delivery maintenance checks.

According to Skyliner Aviation, ALK is also planning to operate MD-82 LZ-DEO (msn 49552).

Owner of Curaçoan startup, Trupi Air, declared bankrupt

Trupi Air (Curacao) owner, Frank Rudolph Emiel Weise, has been declared bankrupt as of November 29. The development effectively puts the airline's future into doubt. The local newspaper Curacao Chronicle reports that a curator has now been appointed with all creditors requested to submit their claims as soon as possible. Trupi Air had been touted as replacement for the now-defunct Dutch Antilles Express (9H, Curacao), where Mr Weise had worked as a senior manager. It had planned to serve Brussels National and Funchal initially with Caracas Simón Bolivar, San José Juan Santamaría, Fort Lauderdale Int'l and Valencia Arturo Michelena Int'l to follow.