Air Aruba

Infobox_Airline
airline = Air Aruba

logo_size = 150
fleet_size = 22
destinations = 27
IATA = FQ
ICAO = ARU
callsign = Aruba
parent =
founded = 1986
headquarters = Aruba
key_people = Tawa Irausquin (CEO) and Henri Coffie (CEO)
hubs = Aruba, Queen Beatrix International Airport
focus_cities = Miami, Newark | frequent_flyer =
lounge =
alliance = |Aserca Airlineswebsite = [http://www.air-aruba.com./ www.air-aruba.com]

Air Aruba was the main air carrier from the island of Aruba. It was founded in 1986 and it declared bankruptcy in 2000

History

Air Aruba began in September 1986 as a ground handling agent for most airlines in Aruba. Two years after being founded, on August 18 to be exact, Air Aruba (with the help of KLM & later Air Holland) carried out its first commercial flight with YS-11 turbo-prop type aircraft operating between the "ABC" islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao as well as Caracas, Venezuela.Over the years Air Aruba expanded its schedule to various destinations in the Caribbean (Santa Domingo, St. Maarten), North America (Newark, Miami) and South America (Sao Paolo, Maracaibo, Las Piedras). Air Aruba also started flying across the Atlantic to Amsterdam and Cologne. This flight was initially operated in conjunction with Air Holland but was later assumed completely by Air Aruba. Subsequently the fleet was also upgraded, shifting more from turbo-prop type aircraft to jet type aircraft, including the Boeing 727, 737, 757, and 767. On the ground Air Aruba also kept developing, forming a new ground handling company as a subsidiary in joint ownership with Ogden Aviation Services. Air Aruba also expanding its reservations office in North America coping with the demand. Air Aruba had a committed staff with a reputation for excellence, hospitality, and service.Air Aruba took great pride in the quality of customer service on its flights.

Carrying on the tradition of the Aruban people, Air Aruba strove to bring the friendliness of Aruba to the airline industry, however financial problems made the Government of seek for a new owner for the airline. On October 27, 1998, Air Aruba N.V. secured a takeover by the Venezuelan airline Aserca who became the majority owner of Air Aruba. In December 1998, Air Aruba leased two brand new MD-90's expanding the total fleet to 5 aircraft. At the same time Air Aruba also inaugurated the route to Philadelphia and re-opened the route to Baltimore making the total number of destinations to 10. In the competitive airline industry it is important to have stable partnerships with other respected international airlines. Air Aruba had done so by developing fruitful partnerships with amongst others Continental Airlines and K.L.M. In March 1999, Air Aruba had established a far going agreement with Aserca Airlines and Air ALM to provide a better service in the Caribbean and South America for both its customers and its employees. The rising cost of operations and bad management caused Air Aruba to file bankruptcy in 2000.

(Former) Destinations

Caribbean

*Aruba (Hub)
**Oranjestad (Queen Beatrix International Airport)
*Dominican Republic
**Santo Domingo (Las Américas International Airport)
*Netherlands Antilles
**Bonaire (Flamingo International Airport)
**Curaçao (Hato International Airport)
**Philipsburg (Princess Juliana International Airport)

Europe

*Germany
**Cologne (Cologne Bonn Airport)
*Netherlands
**Amsterdam (Amsterdam Schiphol Airport)

North America

*Florida
**Miami (Miami International Airport)
**Orlando (Orlando International Airport)
**Tampa (Tampa International Airport)
*New York metro area
**Newark (Newark Liberty International Airport)
*Pennsylvania
**Philadelphia (Philadelphia International Airport)
*Texas
**Houston (George Bush Intercontinental Airport)
*Washington, D.C. area
**Maryland (Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport)

South America

*Brazil
**São Paulo (São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport)
**Manaus (Eduardo Gomes International Airport)
*Colombia
**Barranquilla (Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport)
**Bogotá (El Dorado International Airport)
**Cali (Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport )
**Medellín (José María Córdova International Airport)
*Venezuela
**Barcelona (Generál José Antonio Anzoátegui International Airport)
**Caracas/Maiquetía (Simón Bolívar International Airport)
**Coro (José Leonardo Chirinos Airport)
**Isla de Margarita (Del Caribe International Airport)
**Las Piedras (Josefa Camejo International Airport)
**Maracaibo (La Chinita International Airport)
**Valencia (Arturo Michelena International Airport)

Air Aruba fleet history

Air Aruba's YS-11s were the first acquired airplanes to be introduced into their fleet. After some time, Air Aruba initially replaced these with EMB120s. Lateron, they acquired a Boeing 757 (to fly to Miami). Furthermore, the fleet size expanded by introducing the Boeing 727, 737 and a 767 that operated flights through out Europe and some U.S. routes. In the last operating years of Air Aruba, only the MD-88, MD-90 and DC-9 were utilized by Air Aruba before closing its doors.

Air Aruba's fleet consisted of the following aircraft:
*3 NAMC YS-11A/213 containing the following aircraft registration numbers : P4-YSA named Chuchubi, P4-YSB named Trupial, P4-YSC with unknown name.
*2 Embraer 120 Formerly from ASA containing the following aircraft registration numbers : P4-EMA, P4-EMB named Blenchi.
*1 Boeing 727-100 leased from Hapag-Lloyd containing the following aircraft registration number : D-AHLM with unknown name.
*2 Boeing 737-3M8 Leased from TEA Belgium containing the following aircraft registration numbers : OO-LTE, OO-LTD, OO-LTL.
*1 Boeing 757-23A Leased from Air Holland containing the following aircraft registration number : G-IEAB which was derived from Air Holland's PH-AHN. Lateron, the registration number was changed to P4-AAA named Totolica.
*3 Boeing 767-204ER Leased from Air Holland, Air New Zealand & Britannia, while containing the following aircraft registration numbers : P4-AHM,ZK-NBI , and G-BYAA.
*1 Boeing 767-310ER Leased from Aer Lingus. It contained the following aircraft registration number : EI-CAL named Chinchirinchi.
*2 Douglas DC-9-30s containing the following aircraft registration numbers : P4-MDD no name, P4-DCA named Barica Geel . Douglas DC-9-32 P4-DCB was leased for a short period only (probably only a few months).
*1 McDonnell Douglas MD-83 containing the following aircraft registration number : P4-MDE named Jamanota.
*3 McDonnell Douglas MD-88 containing the following aircraft registration number : N11FQ (was P4-MDA) named Barica Geel, P4-MDB named Arikok, N12FQ (was P4-MDC) named Arikok (this aircraft replaced P4-MDB).
*3 McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 containing the following aircraft registration numbers : P4-MDF (cn 53578/2238) named Teishi, P4-MDG (cn 53579/2242) named Ala Blanca, P4-MDH (cn 53580/2246) named Kinikini.

External links

* [http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/Air_Aruba?show=all Air Aruba Former Jet Fleet Detail]
* [http://www.air-aruba.com/ Air Aruba]
* [http://www.arubaaviation.com/ Aruban Aviation]