No morE flIGHts to SurInAmE

PARAMARIBO/WILLEMSTAD – InselAir, the national airline of Curaçao, is reportedly cutting its losses by shrinking its flight network. The airline will maintain its flight routes to Aruba, Bonaire and Sint Maarten while permanently cutting all of its flight routes to countries in the region including Suriname. The decision was made after the Netherlands announced that it would intervene at InselAir. InselAir Suriname on Wednesday told Times of Suriname that it could not yet comment. “Comments regarding the company must be made by Insel Air Curaçao”, said representatives from the local InselAir company. Foreign media on Wednesday indicated that the Netherlands would intervene at the department of civil aviation at Curaçao (CCAA) and the department of civil aviation at Aruba (DCA). According to Curacaochronicle, the Dutch Junior Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment, Sharon Dijksma, said in a press conference in Aruba that there are serious deficiencies in airline inspections in both Curaçao and Aruba. Dijksma said that while there were some deficiencies in Aruba, the situation in Curaçao was the really serious one. Dijksma also said that apart from the shortcomings at the aviation inspection in Curaçao, many deficiencies had also been encountered at InselAir itself. According to Dijksma the situation is of such magnitude, that immediate intervention is needed by Dutch aviation inspectors to ensure that deficiencies are addressed as soon as possible. According to Dijksma, the ef forts on Aruba are geared towards the recertification of Insel Air Aruba as an airline, so that the aircraft of that company are once again allowed to fly. Dijksma said that Dutch aviation inspectors were to arrive in Aruba in a matter of days. “The Dutch government realizes that flights between the islands can be considered a form of public transportation”, said Dijksma, who added that this transportation should take place in a safe manner. Dijksma said that while her ministry is more than willing to extend help to the 2 islands, the Dutch government under no circumstances would be prepared to provide a financial injection for the local carrier. The Junior Minister stated that safety in the airline industry is a joint interest of all the countries in the Kingdom of The Netherlands.