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Getting to Bonaire: BonairExel got the AOC....
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2003-05-01 to 2004-01-31: BonairExel got the AOC....
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kitty @ CrystalVisions (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #253) on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 - 4:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

This afternoon 'Curaçao' has signed the last permit needed for BonairExel to start up her commercial flights. As soon as BE has the schedule fixed and entered in certain flight systems (don't ask me for details :-)), they should be able to take off!
YIPPEEEEE !!!! :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Leif S (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #216) on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 - 5:03 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

WoooooooHoooooooooo!
Been a long time coming...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By C Poteet (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #110) on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 - 5:06 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kitty -

This is indeed exciting news!

We won't ask you about the flight systems issue (perhaps someone else will comment on that), but might we please ask what is AOC? We've seen it mentioned before, but now its meaning becomes rather more important.

Thanks for the bulletin; you beat CNN!

Charles Poteet
Dallas

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeroen van Buuren (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 - 8:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hello everybody,

Don't want to disturb your party, but aren't you mixing up BonairExel and Avia-Exel on Aruba ? Air Exel, owner of KLM-Exel, and now 50% owner of former Avia-Air, (the're signed today an agreement with AirExel) has 'taken over' the company and therefor they've the possibility to fly by using Avia's AOC. As far as I know, BonairExel is stil not having their AOC. So be carefull with your conclusions ! But fact is that we maybe getting more options to fly between the Islands !

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lisandro (BonaireTalker - Post #18) on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 - 8:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

As far as I've heard, today Bonairexel indeed has received their AOC. The leader of the green party Booi was on the local radio and has given the good news, and BE will be off the blocks soon just as Kitty has explained above.

As of what concerns Avia Air, indeed IMCA Group(Air Exel parent company) is in far negotiation to take over Avia Air based on Aruba, and renamed it as Avia Exel. Avia Exel will then become the sister airline of Bonairexel.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kitty @ CrystalVisions (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #255) on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - 8:15 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

AOC is the Certificate which you need to be Operational in the Air.

It will probably take about a week for BE to have everything up and running... uh, flying... :-)
But then, we'll see...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By C Poteet (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #112) on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - 11:01 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kitty -

Thank you for the clarification on AOC.

Charles Poteet
Dallas

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kitty @ CrystalVisions (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #256) on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - 5:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

According to press information from BonairExel the actual starting date will be announced next Monday.

The BE network consists of 6 routes with 200 weekly flights. From Bonaire to Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten and in between mentioned islands.

Dutch Eagle Express (the actual name of the airline, BE is the trade name) employs about 40 staff. Of the Cabin Crew and administration staff most were born in the Dutch Antilles. The last months the crew members have been trained for the specific aircraft BE uses (ATR-42 and EMB-145 jet).

Priority will be punctual service. BE's network will be primarily based on local traffic demand. The flights will also give good connections to the KLM flights from the various islands.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Chalk (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #192) on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - 7:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Here's the actual text from the Press Release handed out at this afternoons announcement.


PRESS RELEASE
1 page

23 July 2003

Air Operator Certificate for BonairExel.

The Minister of Transport has issued Dutch Eagle Express N.V. (DEE) an Air Operator Certificate (AOC). As a result, DEE is now the 1st Bonairian airline to start scheduled services between the Dutch Antilles and Aruba. The company will soon start with its flights, under the trade name of BonairExel. The actual starting date is expected to be announced next Monday.

The BonairExel network consists of 6 routes with a total of 200 weekly flights. From Flamingo Airport Bonaire, flights to Aruba, Curacao and St. Maarten will be offered, as well as flights between the islands mentioned. The new routes will be flown by 2 turbo prop aircraft of the type ATR-42 (46 seats) and 1 EMB-145 jet (50 seats).

During the last months, some 30 crew members have been trained on these types of aircraft. Today, DEE employs about 40 staff, of which specifically the Cabin Crew and most of the administration staff are born in the Dutch Antilles. The Managing Director, Mr Raymundo Saleh, is thrilled about his new but experienced team who can hardly wait to start the operation and live up to the companies’ and passengers’ expectations of punctuality, reliability and comfort. ‘Our potential passengers want punctual services, that we know, so this will be our priority”. Saleh would also like to thank management and employees of the Dutch airline Air Exel Netherlands BV for their cooperation and input that made this all possible. “In the start up phase, there will be a small number of employees from this company who will remain involved with the operation”.

Through the BonairExel network there will be a significant expansion to the existing local transport between the Islands of the Dutch Antilles and Aruba. BonairExel’s network will be primarily based on local traffic demand. The flights will also give good connections to the KLM flights from the various islands.

______________________________________________________________________
Note:
• Digital photos of the fleet are available by request.
(1) BonairExel ATR 42-320 (46 seats)
(2) BonairExel Embraer 145 (50 seats)

Contact persons in Dutch Eagle Express NV
Raymundo Saleh (Managing Director) and Arian van der Werff (Deputy General Manager)
Plasa Medardo S.V. Thielman, Office 121, Flamingo Airport, Bonaire.
Tel: +599.717.3471 Fax: +599.717.3472
E.mail: info@bonairexel.an


Just thought everyone would like to see it.

Jack

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Walt III (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #189) on Thursday, July 24, 2003 - 6:15 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

No Mention of Miami anywhere in this release!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brigitte Kley (BonaireTalker - Post #95) on Thursday, July 24, 2003 - 6:58 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

It was said Miami and Caracas will come later - permits couldn't be requested as long as the local permits were not issued.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lisandro (BonaireTalker - Post #21) on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 3:55 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

If al goes like planned the first flight of the Bonairexel will be on the 18th of August, with a frequency of seven daily flights Bonaire-Curacao vice versa, 3 daily flights Bonaire-Aruba vice versa and 2 daily flights Curacao-Aruba vice versa. All these flights will be operated by the companies ATR-42's. Caracas and Sint Maarten flights will follow hopely at the end of August.

The webpage of Bonairexel is still under construction (www.bonairexel.an)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1457) on Friday, August 1, 2003 - 11:10 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Good news!! We hope all goes smoothly.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By jim morus (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 1:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Does anyone know how to contact them to arrange a flight in October?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Richter - NetTech (Moderator - Post #1442) on Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 4:06 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

A local travel agent tells me that the flights have appeared in her airline booking computer but as of last Friday they did not have prices. Although she expected prices this past Monday.

I just checked Orbitz.com and found the flights.

example data:
Wednesday, Aug 27 KLM Exel 4304
operated by FOR DUTCH EAGLE EXP DBA BONAIR EXEL 1 stop
Depart: 10:30am Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles (BON) Economy | 30min
ATR42 Turboprop

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter (Moderator - Post #4447) on Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 10:32 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Prices were being finalized today, I think. As soon as we have them we'll post them.

Jake

 


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