Bonaire Express
Encyclopedia
Bonaire Express was an airline
based in Bonaire, Netherlands
. It was the regional airline for the Netherlands Antilles
and also acted as a feeder to KLM for its long-haul services to Europe
. Its main bases were Flamingo International Airport
(BON), Bonaire, Queen Beatrix International Airport
(AUA), Aruba
and Hato Airport (CUR), Curaçao
.
On April 30, 2005 BonairExel was merged with Curaçao Express
and both companies assets and personnel where transferred which together formed Dutch Antilles Express
.
, Registration PJ-XLM, had to make an emergency landing due to a small fire that started in the number 2 engine. The plane was flying from Bonaire to Curaçao
when the passengers sitting on the left side of the aircraft noticed that smoke was coming out of the engine. The aircraft landed safely at Hato International Airport
. No one was hurt. A few weeks later, the ATR aircraft was successfully restored and is still flying with DAE.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based in Bonaire, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. It was the regional airline for the Netherlands Antilles
Netherlands Antilles
The Netherlands Antilles , also referred to informally as the Dutch Antilles, was an autonomous Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consisting of two groups of islands in the Lesser Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao , in Leeward Antilles just off the Venezuelan coast; and Sint...
and also acted as a feeder to KLM for its long-haul services to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Its main bases were Flamingo International Airport
Flamingo International Airport
Flamingo International Airport or Bonaire International Airport is an international airport located at Kralendijk, Bonaire, Netherlands. The Flamingo Airport serves as a connecting point for flights of KLM to some airports in South America...
(BON), Bonaire, Queen Beatrix International Airport
Queen Beatrix International Airport
Queen Beatrix International Airport , in Oranjestad, Aruba, is an aviation facility. It has flight services to the United States, most countries in the Caribbean, the northern coastal countries of South America, Canada and some parts of Europe, notably the Netherlands...
(AUA), Aruba
Aruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
and Hato Airport (CUR), Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
.
Code data
- IATAInternational Air Transport AssociationThe International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
Code: 9H - ICAO Code: BXL
History
The airline was established in 2003 and started operations on 18 August 2003. It was formerly known as BonairExel and was wholly owned by Bonair Bellegings Participatie Maatschappij.On April 30, 2005 BonairExel was merged with Curaçao Express
Curaçao Express
Curaçao Express was a regional airline based in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles. It operated services between the islands of the Netherlands Antilles, mostly flights between Curaçao's Hato International Airport and St Maarten's Princess Juliana International Airport.- History :The airline started...
and both companies assets and personnel where transferred which together formed Dutch Antilles Express
Dutch Antilles Express
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,...
.
Services
Bonaire Express operated the following services (at January 2005):- Domestic scheduled destinations: Bonaire, CuraçaoCuraçaoCuraçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
and St Maarten.
- International scheduled destinations: ArubaArubaAruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
.
Fleet
The Bonaire Express fleet consisted of the following aircraft (at January 2005):- 2 ATR 42-320ATR 42-Civil operators:The largest operators of the ATR-42 are FedEx Express, Airlinair, TRIP Linhas Aéreas,and Mexico City-based Aeromar respectively. Number of aircraft as of 2010:Some 70 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type....
(Original BonairExel/Express PH/PJ-XLL and PH/PJ-XLM) - 1 ATR 42-320ATR 42-Civil operators:The largest operators of the ATR-42 are FedEx Express, Airlinair, TRIP Linhas Aéreas,and Mexico City-based Aeromar respectively. Number of aircraft as of 2010:Some 70 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type....
(Leased from ArubaExel PH/PJ-XLI) - 1 ATR 42-320ATR 42-Civil operators:The largest operators of the ATR-42 are FedEx Express, Airlinair, TRIP Linhas Aéreas,and Mexico City-based Aeromar respectively. Number of aircraft as of 2010:Some 70 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type....
(PJ-SLH) - 1 ATR 42-500ATR 42-Civil operators:The largest operators of the ATR-42 are FedEx Express, Airlinair, TRIP Linhas Aéreas,and Mexico City-based Aeromar respectively. Number of aircraft as of 2010:Some 70 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type....
(CuracaoExel/Express PH/PJ-XLN) - 1 Embraer ERJ 145MPEmbraer ERJ 145 familyThe Embraer ERJ 145 family is a series of regional jets produced by Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace company. Family members include the ERJ 135 , ERJ 140 , and ERJ 145 , as well as the Legacy business jet and the R-99 family of military aircraft. The ERJ 145 is the largest of the group...
(Later sold to City AirlineCity AirlineCity Airline was a regional airline based in the Air Cargo Building on the grounds of Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport in Landvetter, Härryda Municipality, Sweden. It was privately owned and operated a medium-sized European network from its main base at Landvetter. The airline was wholly owned by...
PH-RXB)
Incidents and Accidents
In the month of September 2004, a BonairExel ATR 42-320ATR 42
-Civil operators:The largest operators of the ATR-42 are FedEx Express, Airlinair, TRIP Linhas Aéreas,and Mexico City-based Aeromar respectively. Number of aircraft as of 2010:Some 70 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type....
, Registration PJ-XLM, had to make an emergency landing due to a small fire that started in the number 2 engine. The plane was flying from Bonaire to Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
when the passengers sitting on the left side of the aircraft noticed that smoke was coming out of the engine. The aircraft landed safely at Hato International Airport
Hato International Airport
Hato International Airport or Curaçao International Airport is the airport of Willemstad, Curaçao. It has services to the Caribbean region, South America, North America and Europe...
. No one was hurt. A few weeks later, the ATR aircraft was successfully restored and is still flying with DAE.