Air Travel
Air Travel information pertinent to Bonaire
Saturday, February 19, 2011
European Summer Flight Schedule Announced
For those considering summer travel plans to Bonaire from Europe, here is a summary of flight options to Bonaire for this summer.
KLM will offer the following service from March 28 through October 28, 2011. KL753 will fly from Amsterdam Schiphol to Bonaire on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The flight will depart Amsterdam at 11:25 PM and arrive in Bonaire at 4:30 AM the next morning. KL754 will fly the same days and depart Bonaire at 3:05 PM and arrive in Amsterdam at 5:05 AM the next morning. Both of these flights are operated in conjunction with KLM’s service to Ecuador.
KLM will also be operating a service to Bonaire via Sint Maarten from April 1 to August 26, 2011. KL763 will operate on Fridays and depart at 11:00 AM from Amsterdam to Sint Maarten, with continuing service to Bonaire, before returning to Amsterdam. The flight will arrive in Bonaire at 4:35 PM and depart Bonaire at 5:45 PM, arriving in Amsterdam at 9:00 AM the next morning.
All of the KLM flights operating on this summer schedule will be MD11 aircraft, which accommodate up to 285 passengers.
Arkefly has also announced a summer flight schedule to Bonaire via Curacao from March 31 until October 27, 2011, operating on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The routing on Tuesdays will be Amsterdam, Curacao, Bonaire, Amsterdam and Thursdays will be Amsterdam, Bonaire, Curacao, Amsterdam. There are some changes in schedule times, so those with travel plans should check with Arkefly for specifications on flights. The aircraft operating on these routes accommodate approximately 280 passengers.
Flight schedules for both airlines are subject to change, so visitors should check with their carrier for current flight schedules. (Source: Bonaire International Airport)
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Bonaire International Airport Announces Extended Schedule (through July) for Planned Closures
As reported in an earlier story last week, Bonaire International Airport (Flamingo Airport) has announced that beginning today, February 13, 2011, there will be times when the airport is closed due to runway renovations. The airport has just announced the extended schedule from March 28, 2011 through July, 2011.
To view the entire schedule of closings that have been announced to date, click here (in PDF format). The first page provides the schedule for now through March 27, while the second page provides the schedule from March 28 through July. For the most parts, it’s regional flights from Curacao or Aruba that are impacted, and those with flights coming in with connections from those islands should check with their airline to be sure their flights are still operating as scheduled. Please note “LT” stands for “local time on Bonaire” while “UCT” stands for Universal Coordinated Time, the same as GMT, Greenwich Mean Time. (Source: Bonaire International Airport)
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Bonaire International Airport Launches New Web Site
Bonaire International Airport, also commonly known as Flamingo Airport, has just premiered a new web site, providing in-depth detail about flight arrivals and departures.
The new site, which can be found at www.flamingoairport.com, offers a wealth of information regarding the facilities and services available at the airport, parking fees, information on the runway renovations, links to the airlines which serve the airport, and customs and immigration information. Of particular help, and a new service to the site, is the inclusion of real time flight arrival and departure information. Now a quick check to the airport’s web site will provide up-to-date information as to when a flight is arriving or departing. Flight arrival information can be found by clicking here, while flight departure information can be found by clicking here. For frequent travelers to Bonaire, these pages are a must to be bookmarked. (Source: Bonaire International Airport Web Site)
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
KLM Announces Caribbean Expansion and Direct Flights to Ecuador
KLM has announced that effective October 30, 2011, service to the Caribbean including Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba and Sint Maarten will be expanded, and the flight to and from Ecuador which currently stops in Bonaire, will be replaced with a direct flight between Ecuador and Amsterdam.
The additional flights will add 2,600 seats each week to the Caribbean, bringing the annual number of Caribbean seats available from Amsterdam to 500,000. When the new winter schedule takes effect on October 30, 2011, KLM will fly daily to Bonaire, nine times a week to Curacao, five times a week to Aruba and three times a week to Sint Maarten. KLM will operate two daily flights to Curacao on Saturdays and Mondays.
KLM currently operates five flights a week to and from Ecuador which includes a stop in Bonaire. These flights will be replaced with three direct flights each week from Amsterdam to Quito incorporating a stop in Guayaquil. The direct flight will shorten the connection time for passengers flying between Amsterdam and Ecuador. (Source: KLM Press Release)
Monday, February 07, 2011
Continental Airlines Reinstates Second Seasonal Weekly Flight from Newark
Effective Friday, February 18, 2011, Continental Airlines will reinstate the second seasonal weekly Newark (EWR) flight arriving and departing Bonaire on Saturday, February 19, 2011.
The flights will rotate as follows:
Continental Flight #1553 departs Newark at 11:59 PM Friday evenings, arriving Bonaire at 5:33 AM on Saturdays. Continental Flight #1556 will depart Bonaire at 7:00 AM on Saturdays and arrive back at Newark at 10:38 AM.
The regular Houston flight on Saturdays, as well as the Houston and Newark flights on Sunday, remain as previously scheduled. (Source: Bonaire International Airport)
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Bonaire International Airport Runway to Undergo Renovation
A major renovation of the runway at Bonaire International Airport, also known as Flamingo Airport, will begin on Sunday, February 13, 2011 and will take approximately four to five months to complete. To reduce flight interruption, the work will be done during the evenings, and not during the day, but there will be evening flights which are affected by the airport closings.
Passengers should be aware of the renovation schedule. From February 13 to March 27, 2011, the airport will be closed on Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays from 6:00 PM until the following morning at 4:00 AM. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the airport will close at 7:45 PM and open the following morning at at 5:45 AM. On Fridays and Saturdays, there will be no renovation and the airport will be open normal hours. The schedule for the remainder of the renovation will be announced when it becomes available. KLM has announced their flight schedule will remain the same, but passengers planning to fly in or out of Bonaire during this time frame are encouraged to check with their airline to verify flight times. For passengers connecting into or out from Curacao and Aruba, it is recommended they check with their connecting airlines for schedule changes and availability.
The renovation was approved and announced last summer and will bring the airport into compliance with international safety requirements. The renovation consists of removing and replacing the top five centimeters of runway asphalt, building two new turning areas for aircraft, along with new lighting, indication signs and approach lights. The control tower will also be equipped with a new electrical and control system, and there will be a new fence around the entire airport. The Fire Department will have a new access road to the runway, and eventually a new fire station will be built. The cost of the renovation is approximately $20 million and will be funded by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment. (Source: Bonaire International Airport Press Release)
Please note update on February 8, 2011: Click here (in PDF format) for a slightly revised schedule of runway closures for the time period of February 13, 2011 through March 27, 2011. Please note “LT” stands for “local time on Bonaire” while “UCT” stands for Universal Coordinated Time, the same as GMT, Greenwich Mean Time. (Source: Bonaire International Airport)
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Continental Launches a New Airline Service to Curacao
For those considering a trip to Bonaire or looking to extend a trip to Bonaire, Continental’s new service to Curacao is an additional option.
Continental has launched a twice a week nonstop service from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Curacao (CUR). The new service departs on Wednesdays and Saturdays and gives people the option of a ten day trip, making Bonaire more accessible. For additional information or to book flights, visit Continental Airlines web site by clicking here.
Connecting to Bonaire from Curacao has become easier as more flights have been added. You may choose between Dutch Antilles Express, Divi Divi, Insel Air or Easy Air. To read about connections between Bonaire and Curacao, click here. (Source: Continental Airlines)
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Continental Airlines and Delta Are Offering Savings on Bonaire Vacations
Now through October 31st, 2010, those who plan a future trip to Bonaire can realize savings, as well as enjoy other benefits.
For those who can book their trip by October 31st, there are savings of up to $160. Those eligible for these savings then have until May 31, 2011 to travel and will earn 1,000 bonus frequent flyer miles, in addition to the actual flight miles. Participating properties include Buddy Dive Resort, Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino, Harbor Village Beach Club, Plaza Resort Bonaire, and Sand Dollar Condominiums.
For Continental Airline Vacations, visit www.covacations.com and click on All Deals, scroll down to Caribbean and click on to Dive into Savings Bonaire and plan your next vacation to Bonaire.
For Delta Vacations, visit www.deltavacations.com and click on All Vacation Deals, scroll down to Caribbean and click on to Dive into Savings Bonaire and plan your next vacation to Bonaire.
Vacations include round-trip air transportation, choice of accommodations, hotel taxes, round-trip transfers between airport and hotel, luggage handling at hotel, maid and/or bellman gratuities, assistance of a local representative or toll-free number for assistance. (Source: Delta Vacations and Continental Airlines Vacations)
Monday, October 11, 2010
Tiara Air Offers Online Check-in
Effective immediately, Tiara Air is offering online check-in for their customers, making it easier to fly between Bonaire and Aruba.
Customers are now able to purchase their tickets online, and check-in online, saving time at the airport. Those flying Tiara Air should print their boarding passes and bring them to the airport. Furthermore, effective immediately, Insel Air is including any departure tax in the plane ticket at the time of purchase. This means it is no longer necessary to stand in line to pay departure tax at the airport prior to checking in with Tiara Air. Passengers without baggage may proceed directly to Airport Security and Immigration, avoiding the check-in and departure tax lines.
Tiara Air operates direct, non-stop flights between Bonaire and Aruba, and recently added more flights, flying five days a week between the two islands. This expanded schedule gives travelers more options to connect to Bonaire from either North or South America or Europe. For more information, visit Tiara Air’s web site by clicking here. (Source: TCB-Bonaire)
Sunday, October 10, 2010
It’s Official--Bonaire is Now Part of The Netherlands
At the stroke of midnight last night, all those on Bonaire said farewell to the Netherlands Antilles, and then welcomed Holland, as Bonaire, along with its sister islands, St. Eustatius and Saba, is now part of Holland as a special municipality and the three islands are to be officially called the Dutch Caribbean.
Her Majesty, Queen Beatrix, sent a telegram to all those on Bonaire, welcoming us into Holland. She wrote,
“To the residents of Bonaire: Today you, the residents of Bonaire, will become part of the Dutch polity. I would like to express my deeply felt solidarity with you and wish you all happiness and prosperity. Beatrix”
(View her original telegram in PDF form by clicking here.)
There are a number of festivities throughout the day to herald in our new political status, but one of the more popular ones will be the opening of a new exhibit at Kas di Arte with opportunities to meet and converse with the artists, as well as receive lessons in painting. The exhibit is titled, “The Kingdom of The Netherlands: Union in Diversity,” and it will run through October 31st, 2010.
Artists from Holland, Curacao, Aruba, and Bonaire will be showcased and the artwork focuses upon this new day and its significance for all on Bonaire. Participating artists are from outside Bonaire are Gustave Nouel of Aruba/Holland, Johannes Boekhoudt of Costa Rica/Bonaire, Elvis Tromp of Aruba, Edmond Tujeehut of Aruba, Frank Croes of Aruba, Wine Fransen of Holland, Ad Rooymans of Holland, Harald Vlugt of Holland, Yubi Kirindongo of Curacao, Ruben La Cruz of Curacao/Holland, and Karolien Helweg of Holland.
Local artists from Bonaire include Nochi Coffie, Henk Roozendaal, Frans Booi, Renate van der Bijl, Christel Cosijn, Sra. Verhoef, Manuela Winklaar, Jake Richter, and Sedney Marten.
Even KLM is getting in on the festivities by celebrating its long-standing relationship with the Antilles. This past Thursday, KLM celebrated its 91st anniversary, and, as is customary, they introduced a new Delftware house. This 91st house in the KLM collection will be the Dutch Antilles House in The Hague. In replicating the Dutch Antilles House, KLM hopes to reinforce its historically strong ties with the Dutch Caribbean as it was way back on December 15, 1934, when KLM operated its first transatlantic flight to Curaçao with the Fokker F-XVIII “Snip.” KLM has been dishing out Delftware houses on board since the 1950s. The houses are replicas of exceptional buildings in the Netherlands and the number of houses in the collection has corresponded with KLM’s age since 1994. A new house has been added to the collection each year thereafter on October 7th. The houses are presented to passengers traveling in World Business Class on intercontinental flights, and are considered collectibles by many on Bonaire.
Congratulations, Bonaire! (Source: Her Majesty, Queen Beatrix, Kas di Arte, and KLM)
