- Dutch Antilles Express
-
Dutch Antilles Express 
IATA
9HICAO
DNLCallsign
DUTCH ANTILLESFounded 2005 Fleet size 2 Destinations 9 Company slogan Connecting The Americas Parent company Dutch Antilles Express B.V. Headquarters Willemstad, Curaçao Key people Stanley Mario Betrian (CEO) Frank Rudolph Emiel Weise (Statutory Director) Gianni Felipe Marcelo Anthony Schob (Statutory Director), Hughbert Delsol(COO), Steve Frederick Sloop(CCO) Website http://www.flydae.com/ Dutch Antilles Express is a regional airline of the former territory of Curaçao. It operates high-frequency scheduled services in the Dutch Caribbean and to Venezuela, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. Its main base is at Hato International Airport, Curaçao. The head office is at Pietermaai, Willemstad, Curaçao.[1] Dutch Antilles Express announced on December 13, 2010 that Arnold B. Leonora had purchased the airline from Niek Sandman, who left to pursue other interests. In acquiring the Curaçao-based regional carrier, Leonora said his plan would be to “help Curaçao become one of the important hubs in the region,” making use of Aruba to expand the airline’s operations. Leonora noted, “DAE will be a true Dutch Caribbean airline servicing Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao with flights originating in all three islands."
Due to an escalating debt from poor performing market condition the government of Curaçao has stepped in on May 31, 2011 to keep the airline in the air.[2] The airline has been purchased from Arnold Leonora by the Curaçao government for a cash injection sum of two injections of 1.5m guilders.[3]
The airline is currently operating a much reduced schedule with a reduced fleet of 2 aircraft Fokker 100 .
Contents
History
The airline started operations with a single ATR 42 in 2003 as BonairExel (part of the Exel Aviation Group) and soon expanded to encompass most of the Dutch Antilles and Aruba. Although an Embraer ERJ 145 was used on the Bonaire-Aruba flights, the aircraft was soon disposed of again, returning to Air Exel. Although BonairExel flew its aircraft in the Exel color scheme; operated with Air Exel aircraft; and flew with Air Exel cabin staff; the airline was wholly owned by a Dutch millionaire residing on Bonaire, and operated simply as a franchise carrier. As the local market was rather small, a subsidiary was formed on Curaçao, named Curaçao Exel. Dutch Caribbean Airlines (DCA) declared bankruptcy not long after.[4] Exel Aviation noticed that the Caribbean airlines were very profitable, and set up its own Aruba Exel, causing distress amongst the other franchise carriers.
With the Exel empire expanding too rapidly in Europe and the Caribbean, it was no surprise that the dream would not last long. In a lawsuit against Nick Sandman (owner of Bonaire and Curaçao Exel) to demand back the invested amount, and confiscate back the ATR 42 aircraft, ties dissolved between the Exel Aviation Group and the Caribbean franchise carriers. With minimal funds, the airline made an attempt to distance itself from its partner, changing its names to BonairExpress and CuraçaoExpress. This move permantently broke up the alliance, causing no more profits to go to the ailing Exel Aviation Group. All Exel airlines disappeared, including fellow Aruba Exel.
Previously the airline's head office was in the Plasa Medardo SV Thielman in Kralendijk, Bonaire.[5] In April 2007 the airline moved its head office from Bonaire to Curaçao, where the airline's flight operations have been based. The airline's call centre and its revenue accounting and handling departments remained in Bonaire.[6]
After numerous lawsuits, Bonaire (now called Bonaire Express) and Curaçao Express merged to form Dutch Antilles Express, which started operations on 30 April 2005 with flights between the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. On 9 December 2005, its first international services to Valencia, Venezuela, were launched.
After the airline's reconstruction ,two ATR 42s were sent for a C-Check and received the new color scheme , with a green flyDAE logo. While this was taking place, the airline leased two Fokker 50s from Denim Air, which flew the Curaçao-St. Maarten route until the return of the ATR 42s.
Livery
DAE ATR42 logo on the tail section at Bonaire
There are several differences in the liveries of Dutch Antilles Express aircraft.
On the ATR 42-300 the aircraft has the standard flydae.com website address on the left side of the aircraft and the phone number +599-7170808 on the right side, but the aircraft does not have a logo on the tail section.
In the case of the ATR 42-320 and -500, the aircraft have the web address on the left side of the aircraft and the phone number on the right side; and both aircraft have the green, blue & yellow DAE logo on the tail section.
The two Fokker 100s both have the web address on the left side and on the right side of the aircraft, although Alpha has the logo displayed on the engine cowlings and the tail and Bravo lacks these logos.
Destinations
Dutch Antilles Express serve the following destinations, as at August 2011:
Oranjestad, Aruba (Queen Beatrix International Airport)
Kralendijk, Bonaire (Flamingo International Airport)
Willemstad, Curaçao (Hato International Airport)Hub
Las Américas, Santo Domingo (Las Américas International Airport)
Philipsburg, St. Maarten (Princess Juliana International Airport)
Valencia, Venezuela (Arturo Michelena International Airport)- Caracas, Venezuela (Simón Bolívar International Airport)
Bogotá, Colombia (El Dorado International Airport)- Cartagena (Rafael Núñez International Airport)
Panama (Tocumen International Airport)[7]
Fleet
The Dutch Antilles Express fleet consists of the following aircraft (at October 2011):[8]
Dutch Antilles Express Fleet Aircraft In Fleet Passengers Aircraft Registration Notes Fokker 100 2 100 PJ-DAA, PJ-DAB Total 2 Past aircraft of The Dutch Antilles Express consists of the following: (at October 2011):[9]
Dutch Antilles Express Fleet Historic Aircraft Total Passengers Aircraft Registration Notes ATR 42-320 2 46 PJ-XLM Returned to Lessor on 07/2011 46 PJ-SLH Returned to Lessor on 09/2011 ATR 42-500 1 48 PJ-XLN Returned to Lessor on 05/2011 Total 3 DAE is the only Jet Fokker operator in the Caribbean. It has been revealed on the airline's Facebook page that the airline has recently acquired MD80's for it's new fleet after the airline's restructuring and that the airline has successfully negotiated for the return of the ATR's in the beginning of 2012.
References
- ^ "Contact." Dutch Antilles Express. Retrieved on October 30, 2010. "Head office Curaçao Pietermaai 33-35 P.O. Box 4101 Willemstad, Curaçao"
- ^ "Article luchtvaart nieuws interview minister."
- ^ "Curacao government cash injection."
- ^ "DCA ceases all operations"
- ^ "Privacy statement." Dutch Antilles Express. Retrieved on October 30, 2010.
- '^ "DAE WANTS TO BE THE ANTILLEAN AIRLINE." Horizons Newsletter. Princess Juliana International Airport operating company N.V. March 2007. Retrieved on October 30, 2010. "Also in April, DAE will move its head office from Bonaire to Curaçao. The call centre, revenue accounting and handling will remain in Bonaire. Operations have always been in Curaçao."
- ^ "[1]"
- ^ Dutch Antilles Express Fleet
- ^ Dutch Antilles Express Fleet
External links
Lists relating to aviation General Aircraft (manufacturers) · Aircraft engines (manufacturers) · Airlines (defunct) · Airports · Civil authorities · Museums · Registration prefixes · Rotorcraft (manufacturers) · TimelineMilitary Accidents/incidents Records Categories:- Airlines of Curaçao
- Airlines established in 2005
- Airlines of the Netherlands Antilles
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