Stranded DAE passengers go on KLM instead today
AIRPORT–Stranded passengers of Dutch Antilles Express (DAE), including Governor of the Netherlands Antilles Frits Goedgedrag and Prime Minister Etienne Ys, will be travelling on Royal Dutch Airline KLM to Curaçao today, Thursday.
Two ATR 42 aircraft of DAE, flying as BonairExpress and CuraçaoExpress, were stranded Wednesday, one in St. Maarten and the other in Curaçao, due to technical problems.
As a result, the afternoon and evening flights between Curaçao and St. Maarten were cancelled. A total of 36 passengers were stranded, according to DAE’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Floris van Pallandt.
Assistance of Windward Islands Airways International Winair was requested, but unfortunately the help of a technical expert from Curaçao was needed, said Van Pallandt, who confirmed reports that the aircraft in St. Maarten was leaking oil.
“We are trying to solve the situation as soon as possible,†he said. A technical expert will probably be flown in today with a chartered aircraft. He said the airline’s third spare plane would be put in the schedule today to rescue as many stranded passengers as possible.
A solution has been found for the St. Maarten passengers, the ones stranded Wednesday, as well as the ones who have to go to Curaçao today. They will be travelling on KLM this afternoon. Passengers are requested to check in at Arrindell Aviation Services (AAS) at the airport as of 12:00 noon. The KLM flight leaves around 4:30pm.
Van Pallandt explained that he had approached KLM to buy seats on the Boeing 747-400 to accommodate the passengers and not risk awaiting the repair of the ATR 42. “KLM had open seats on the route St. Maarten-Curaçao. I am happy that we can solve it this way,†he said.
Source: The Daily Herald