Aruba Airlines

Aruba Airlines (legally Arubaanse Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V.) is the flag carrier and the sole airline of Aruba. The airline, founded in 2006, providing 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 in Miami. They received an AOC from the United States in 2015.

Aruba Airlines N.V.
IATAICAOCallsign
AGARUARUBA
Founded2006
Commenced operationsMarch 31, 2013
HubsQueen Beatrix International Airport
Frequent-flyer programDiviMiles
Fleet size1
Destinations6
Parent companySeastar Holding N.V
HeadquartersOranjestad, Aruba
Key people
  • Esteban Valles (CEO)
  • Francisco Arendsz (CFO)
FounderOnno J. de Swart
Websitewww.arubaairlines.com

History

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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 center, and the airline opened a new office at Queen Beatrix International Airport. It also has smaller offices in Miami, Curaçao, Bonaire and in 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 air operator's 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 March 31, 2013, with Maracaibo, Venezuela as its initial destination. Flights to Panama City, Panama began on July 5 of that year.[5]

Aruba Airlines 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 October 2, 2017, that it will be re-introducing service to Curaçao and introducing a new service to Bonaire. The flights would be operated with a Dash 8-300 that was signed for in September 2017 and that service to Curaçao would begin on October 23, 2017, with Bonaire's date to be announced.[9] Unfortunately the first flight was canceled due to the Dash 8 aircraft not being delivered on time and the airline officially commenced service to Curaçao on October 25, 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]

In a press conference held live in Curaçao on October 27, 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 backup. 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 included New York City, Argentina, and Bogotá. Flights to Argentina and New York were 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 sanctions made by the Venezuelan government in the first half of 2018, the fleet renewal would be announced near the end of the year.[14]

Destinations

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A former Aruba Airlines Airbus A320-200 landing at Miami International Airport in 2016

As of December 2023, Aruba Airlines flies to the following destinations:[15]

CountryCityAirportNotesRefs
 ArubaOranjestadQueen Beatrix International AirportHub
 BonaireKralendijkFlamingo International AirportSuspended
 ColombiaBarranquillaErnesto Cortissoz International AirportTerminated
MedellínJosé María Córdova International AirportTerminated
RiohachaAlmirante Padilla AirportTerminated
 CubaCamagüeyIgnacio Agramonte International AirportTerminated
HolguínFrank País AirportCharter
La HavanaJose Marti International AirportCharter
Santa ClaraAbel Santamaría AirportCharter
 CuraçaoWillemstadCuraçao International AirportSuspended
 Dominican RepublicSanto DomingoLas Americas International AirportTerminated
 GuyanaGeorgetownCheddi Jagan International AirportTerminated
 NicaraguaManaguaAugusto C. Sandino International AirportTerminated[16]
 PanamaPanama CityTocumen International AirportTerminated
 Trinidad and TobagoPort of SpainPiarco International AirportTerminated
 United StatesMiamiMiami International AirportOperated by Global Crossing Airlines
TampaTampa International AirportOperated by Global Crossing Airlines
 VenezuelaMaracaiboLa Chinita International AirportTerminated
Las PiedrasJosefa Camejo International AirportTerminated
MaracayMariscal Sucre AirportTerminated
ValenciaArturo Michelena International AirportTerminated

Fleet

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Current fleet

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As of November 2023, the Aruba Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft:[17]

Aruba Airlines fleet
AircraftIn
service
OrdersPassengersNotes
CYTotal
Airbus A320-2001180180
Total1

Former fleet

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Aruba Airlines previously operated the following aircraft:[17]

Aruba Airlines former fleet
AircraftTotalIntroducedRetiredNotes
Airbus A319-100120162018
Airbus A321-200220212023
Bombardier CRJ200220172020
Piper PA-31 Navajo12006Un­known

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Press release: Settlement between Aruba Airlines and de Swart". 16 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b c 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. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Aruba Airlines inaugurated its first flight to Curaçao". 16 December 2015.
  7. ^ "Aruba Airlines informs: "Temporary suspension of our operations on the Aruba-Curacao-Aruba route"". 4 May 2016.
  8. ^ "Aruba Airlines celebrates the incorporation of their fourth aircraft". 5 July 2016.
  9. ^ "Aruba Airlines confirms: Starts operating route Aruba – Curaçao on October 23". 3 October 2017.
  10. ^ "Aruba Airlines canceled first flight to Curaçao". 25 October 2017.
  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. ^ "Destinations". arubaairlines.com. Aruba Airlines. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  16. ^ "Aruba Airlines Cancels Its Flights Between Cuba and Nicaragua". Havanatimes.org. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  17. ^ a b "Aruba Airlines Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
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