Aruba Airlines

Aruba Airlines is the flag carrier and the sole airline of Aruba. The airline, founded in 2006, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers to 13 destinations. Aruba Airlines's corporate headquarters is in Oranjestad, Aruba. Aruba operates its primary maintenance base at Miami. They received AOC from the United States in 2015.

Aruba Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
AG ARU ARUBA
Founded2006
Commenced operations2013
HubsQueen Beatrix International Airport
Fleet size4
Destinations7
Parent companySeastar Holding N.V
HeadquartersOranjestad, Aruba
Key peopleEsteban Valles (CEO) CFO: Francisco Arendsz
Websitewww.arubaairlines.com

History

Aruba Airlines was established by Mr. Onno J. de Swart in 2006.[1] The airline began charter operations with a seven-seat Piper PA-31 Navajo in 2010.[2] The main headquarters is in the city of Oranjestad in Aruba, which is the main operation centre, and the airline opened a new office at Queen Beatrix International Airport. It also has smaller offices in Miami, Curaçao, Bonaire and in the Venezuelan cities of Maracaibo, Valencia and Maracay.[3]

In early 2012 the company attracted new investors, leading to the upgrade of operations to jet aircraft.[2] The company received an economic Airline Operation Certificate in August 2012.[4] The airline then arranged to lease two Airbus A320 twin-engined 150-seat jet airliners; the first one arrived in Aruba in November 2012.[2] The aircraft started to fly charter flights from Aruba at the end of 2012 and scheduled operations started on 31 March 2013, with Maracaibo, Venezuela as its initial destination. Flights to Panama City, Panama began on 5 July that year.[5]

Aruba Airlines had also started flying between Aruba to Curaçao and Santo Domingo in December 2015, operating with the Airbus A320.[6] In May 2016, it was announced that the Curaçao-Santo Domingo flight as well as Panama would be temporarily suspended and that operations would resume soon when able, although no reason was given for this.[7] In July 2016, the airline celebrated the signing of their fourth aircraft, with its first Airbus A319. The aircraft was delivered to Aruba Airlines in December 2016.[8]

Aruba Airlines announced on 2 October 2017, that it will be re-introducing service to Curaçao and introducing new service to Bonaire. The flights would be operated with a Dash 8-300 aircraft that was signed for in September 2017 and that service to Curaçao would begin on 23 October 2017, with Bonaire's date to be announced.[9] Unfortunately the first flight was cancelled due to the Dash 8 aircraft not being delivered on time and the airline officially commenced service to Curaçao on 25 October 2017, utilizing a Bombardier CRJ200, leased from Voyageur Airways, that was previously used to fly between Curaçao and Sint Maarten after the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.[10]

A press conference held live in Curaçao on 27 October 2017, Francisco Arendsz, the airlines' accountable manager stated that the airline had planned to order an additional Dash 8-100, along with the original aircraft that was expected to be delivered as back up. This would be when they revealed the original aircraft was not ready. The current plan is temporarily using the leased CRJ200. The second CRJ200 will be delivered, wearing the company's official livery. Bonaire is planned to commence on 16 November 2017, if Aruba Airlines is permitted by Dutch Civil Aviation Authority.[11] Additional destinations planned for November include, Barquisimeto and Punto Fijo. The press conference also reflected on the future of the airline, including destinations planned for 2018, which include New York City, Argentina, and Bogotá. Flights to Argentina and New York are planned to be flown by an Airbus A330 that had supposedly been ordered recently.[12] On 14 November 2017, the inaugural flight to Curaçao, the CEO stated that next year there would be additional 4 aircraft excluding the already ordered CRJ200 for next year.[13]

Due to sanction made by the Venezuelan government in the first half of 2018, the fleet renewal will be announced near the end of the year.[14] Aruba Airlines management has revealed they are looking to fly to Sint Maarten.[15]

Destinations

As of December 2019, Aruba Airlines flies to the following destinations:[16]

Country City Airport Notes
 ArubaOranjestadQueen Beatrix International AirportHub
 Caribbean NetherlandsKralendijkFlamingo International Airport
 ColombiaBarranquillaErnesto Cortissoz International Airport
 ColombiaMedellinJosé María Córdova International Airport
 ColombiaRiohachaAlmirante Padilla Airport
 CuraçaoWillemstadHato International Airport
 United StatesMiamiMiami International AirportVia Curaçao

Fleet
Aruba Airlines Airbus A320-200

Current fleet

As of July 2019, the Aruba Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft:[17]

Aruba Airlines Current fleet
Aircraft In Service Orders Passengers Notes
C Y Total
Airbus A320-200 1 — 12 138 150
2 — 180 180
Bombardier CRJ200 1 — — 50 50
Total 4 -

Historical fleet
Aruba Airlines Historic fleet
Aircraft Number Notes
Airbus A319-100 1 Returned to Lessor/Scrapped [P4-AAE]
Airbus A320-200 2 Returned to Lessor/Scrapped [P4-AAA / P4-AAC]
Boeing 737-400 1 Wet-leased from Turpial Airlines
Bombardier CRJ200 1 Wet-leased from Voyageur Airways
Bombardier Dash 8-300 1 Wet-leased from Voyageur Airways
Piper PA-31 Navajo 1 Retired
Total 6

References
  1. http://curacaochronicle.com/aviation/press-release-settlement-between-aruba-airlines-and-de-swart/
  2. Aruba Airlines welcomes their first Airbus 320 Archived 27 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Aruba Airlines - Contact Us". Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  4. "Minister Otmar Oduber signs economic AOC for Aruba Airlines". Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  5. "Aruba Airlines Begins Operation to Maracaibo / Panama City from June 2013". Routesonline. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  11. Eindredactie (28 October 2017). "Aruba Airlines nu wél naar Curaçao". Antilliaans Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  12. "ESO (Evento Show i Otro)". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  13. straker (15 November 2017). "Bon recepcion pa Aruba Airlines cu a start sali cu su operacionnan pa Corsou - Vigilante". Vigilante. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  14. Group, Headlines (19 April 2018). "Reanundacion di Aruba Airlines su vuelo nan pa y for di Venezuela - 24ora.com". 24ora.com. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  15. "24ora". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  16. "Destinations". arubaairlines.com. Aruba Airlines. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  17. https://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Aruba%20Airlines.htm

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