Suriname Refuses Aruba Airline Landing Permission

Insel Air Aruba may not land in Suriname after the Surinamese aviation authority refused to authorize direct flights between Aruba and Paramaribo, the Aruban website Noticiacla.com reported.

On Monday, an Insel Air Aruba aircraft had to make a detour via Curacao, causing hours of delay.

The director of the airline, Edward Heerenveen, blamed the Surinamese aviation authorities of colluding with Surinam Airways to protect the regional routes operated by the Surinamese carrier. Heerenveen claimed that this is totally illegal.

According to Insel Air’s schedule, the next attempt to Zanderij, which is the Suriname airport, from Oranjestad will be this coming Friday.

“If Suriname does not allow this I can tell you that both Curacao and Aruba are ready to boycott flights from Surinam Airways to their territories,” Heerenveen told the Suriname newspaper De Ware Tijd.

Without wishing to go into the claims by made by Heerenveen on a matter at the state level, Gerard Brunings, presidential adviser for aviation, said that the statements from Heerenveen on possible retaliation by Curacao and Aruba against Suriname Airways were his own views.

He believes that the Curacao company has continued with their Aruba plans thinking they can use existing agreements, which is not correct, according to Brunings.

However, Insel Air stated that the agreements between Suriname and Curacao in the context of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) give the airline enough rights to operate directly between Aruba and Suriname.

Source: Curacao Chronicle