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1st Quarter 2009 Volume 01 - No. 3 |
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Traffic at PJIA Mixed in 2008 |
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AIRPORT: In 2008 developments in traffic at PJIA were mixed.
Passenger movements amounted to 1,714,987 in 2008; that is an
increase of 3.8% compared to 2007. In contrast the number of
aircraft handled declined by 3.8% to 71,936 compared to 2007. As a
result we at PJIAE are relatively pleased with the realized results
in 2008. The development in traffic is illustrated in the graph
below.
The divergent traffic data can be ascribed to the timing of the
impact of the different global economic events. The decline in
airline movements can be explained by the effects of the surge in
oil prices as of 2005 which peaked at about $140 per barrel in 2008.
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Simpson Bay Fishermen Get New Jetty as RESA Works Kick Off |
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Simpson Bay fishermen will soon operate from a brand-new jetty.
PJIAE Management and representatives of the fishermen were witnesses
on Monday March 23, 2009, as Aviation Commissioner Sarah
Wescott-Williams, daringly sporting a hardhat, climbed into the
operator's cabin of crane, to drive the first pile of the dock into
the Simpson Bay Lagoon, at the north end of the Princess Juliana
International Airport runway. The jetty construction is a prelude to
the construction of the airport's Runway End Safety Area (RESA).
"Moving this project from planning to construction phase means a lot
to me, because it brings us closer to being one of the few regional
airports that have the required RESA," said PJIAE President drs.
Eugene Holiday.
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New fence almost finished |
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The Facility Maintenance workers are making good headway with the
construction of the new southside fence. The old fence was torn down
during the passing of Hurricane Omar on October 16 last year, so
PJIAE commissioned its own workers to erect a new 2,500 feet wall,
on which the fence will be placed.
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Table Top and Live Drill exercises |
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PJIAE on February 4th hosted a meeting with Government officials to
plan the next Table Top and Live Drill exercises. "This was the
first meeting with the different Government departments that would
be involved in case of an emergency at the airport," explained Mr.
Larry Donker, Director of the Operations Division at PJIAE. No date
has been set for the drills yet.
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SPECIAL ON MEMBERSHIP TO UPGRADED PJIAE BUSINESS CLASS LOUNGE |
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Having just upgraded its Soualiga Business Class Lounge from
excellent to superb standards, Princess Juliana International
Airport operating company (PJIAE) NV is offering a special on its
membership. Under the theme "Turn Waiting into an Experience", the
airport company is launching a promotion to increase awareness about
the lounge that offers travelers extra comfort while they wait to
board their flight.
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JETBLUE STARTS BOSTON FLIGHT |
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The inauguration of JetBlue's Boston / St. Maarten flight on
Saturday February 14, 2009 is an expansion of the relationship
between the airline and St. Maarten, officials said.
PJIAE President Drs. Eugene Holiday during his address to the
gathering at the inauguration ceremony hinted that it was just a
year ago that negotiations with the airline had been concluded. "The
cost of oil was at its highest point, but despite this unfavorable
outlook and notwithstanding the current poor economic conditions,
Jet Blue still went ahead and started up this Boston St. Maarten
flight," he said.
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KLM celebrates 75 years in the Caribbean |
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This year, airline company KLM celebrates two happy dates: her
90-year existence and 75 years flying on Curacao. The oldest
commercial airline company in the world still operating under her
original name will organize several events on the islands throughout
this new year.
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Air Jamaica, LIAT cut routes |
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KINGSTON, Jamaica, January 28, 2009 - Jamaica's cash-strapped
national carrier and regional airline LIAT are both cutting routes
as the world economic turbulence takes a toll on their operations.
Air Jamaica revealed to employees yesterday that it addition to
getting rid of under-performing routes and reducing its plane fleet,
it will have to trim its workforce.
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Drs. Holiday: New Country St. Maarten Should Adopt Existing Aviation Legislation |
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As St. Maarten continues to make strides toward a new status within
the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Government should, except where the
new situation dictates otherwise, adopt the existing aviation
legislation of the Netherlands Antilles in full. Speaking at the
two-day conference on Air Traffic Relations on January 26, PJIAE
President drs. Eugene Holiday explained that adopting the existing
legislation would ensure continuity and a sense of confidence among
the operators within the system. "From an economic development
perspective it is important that the government - in view of the
uncertainty that (constitutional) change engenders - do everything
to maintain stability. This step will be instrumental in that
regard," he said.
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PJIAE is [RED] BUSINESS OF APRIL 2009 |
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Candlelight vigil well attended
AIRPORT (April 2, 2009) Heavy gusts of wind kept on blowing off the
candles, but not the determination of the participants in PJIAE's
candlelight vigil Wednesday evening in commemoration of People
Living with HIV/AIDS; together with a group of pupils from the
Methodist Agogic Centre (MAC), PJIAE management and staff, clad in
red T-shirts, walked in silence in front of the airport's terminal
building. The candlelight vigil marked the start of activities at
PJIAE, the [RED] business of April 2009.
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AIRPORT ROAD REROUTING TO START SOON |
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AIRPORT (February 10, 2009) Works to create better traffic flow on a
rerouted Airport Road and improve safety for travelers should start
soon, PJIAE President drs. Eugene Holiday has announced. Government
recently issued the necessary permits; the work has since been
tendered and bids by interested contractors are under consideration.
"Bearing in mind the urgency to improve the traffic situation at our
airport, we want to execute this project as soon as possible," said
drs. Holiday.
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PJIAE to host Network Latin America in December 2009 |
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AIRPORT (February 17, 2009) Continuing a trend that started with the
successful hosting of the Airports Conference of the Americas in
June 2008, Princes Juliana International Airport is bringing yet
another international aviation conference to St. Maarten in 2009;
the 3rd annual Network Latin America will be touching down in St.
Maarten, Netherlands Antilles, December 6-8, 2009.
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Healthy living promoted in workshops |
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PJIAE workers took advantage of the opportunity to update themselves
on eating healthier. The opportunity came in early February when
Nutritional Microscopist Francisco DeWeever presented a series of
workshops on alternative medicine. "PJIAE workers are insured with
Nagico and my company just signed an agreement regarding my services
with Nagico. After I presented the insurance company with proof that
alternative medicines do reverse diseases that were previously
considered incurable, they thought it would be appropriate to do
some workshops for the airport workers. And of course that is a good
opportunity to promote my business," said Mr. DeWeever.
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KLM's Boeing 747 returns with increased capacity |
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KLM is bringing back its Boeing
747 to St. Maarten. The airline reported in early March that the
jumbo will take over again from the MD11 as of March 29, 2009, when
the summer schedule takes effect. The Holland-St.
Maarten-Curacao-Holland flights will be carried out on Tuesdays and
Thursdays. "This is a huge increase in capacity," said Wim Iserief,
KLM's General Manager Caribbean and Suriname. "We're going from 294
seats in the MD11 to 428 in the Boeing; that's like 130 seats more!"
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AMERICAN AIRLINES CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF SERVICE TO ST. MAARTEN |
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American Airlines on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 celebrated 30 years
of service to The Princess Juliana International Airport. The
airline currently operates nonstop service to St. Maarten from Miami
International Airport (MIA), John F. Kennedy International Airport
(JFK) and San Juan Luis Mu?z Marin International Airport (SJU).
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New express air service from San Juan to Anguilla |
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Anguilla's Chief Minister, the Honorable Osbourne B. Fleming, led
the welcome team on the tarmac at Wallblake Airport to greet the
arrival of the first Anguilla Air Express service into the island on
Saturday, February 14. The inaugural flight was carrying a select
group of travel industry VIPs to experience first-hand the new
service and enjoy a special Valentine's weekend hosted by the
Anguilla Tourist Board. Special festivities were held at the airport
to celebrate the occasion.
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LIAT adds new destination |
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Thursday February 12 2009
The Antigua based regional carrier, LIAT, has added yet another
destination to its list of Caribbean islands that it serves.
The regional carrier announced this week it would shortly commence
scheduled services to and from the Island of Canouan.
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