TRANSPORT Insel Air Keeps Reaching Higher Insel Air is currently Curaçao’s only local airline Edward Heerenveen, co-founder of Insel Air, always wanted his and it provides transportation to at least 50 own airline. In 1993 he incorporated the airline, but didn’t have the fi nancial resources to make his dream a reality. “In December percent of Curaçao’s residents who need to 2004, Heerenveen walked into our offi ce”, Kluyver explains. “I travel to and from the island. The airline start- was an investment banker with our fi rm, Corporate Financial ed seven years ago and today it services 17 Solutions, at the time and Heerenveen was formerly part of the destinations in the Caribbean, South America management team at the Antilliaanse Luchtvaartmaatschappij (ALM). I looked at the fi gures of ALM and Heerenveen’s idea. and the United States. TEXT ELISA KOEK After studying the fi gures, they, as well as Heerenveen’s idea, seemed promising; I could see a lot of opportunities.” Kluyver prepared a business plan for the future airline and decided to When asked about the airline’s slogan, “reaching higher,” Albert come on board. Based on the business plan, four more business- Kluyver, CEO of Insel Air explained, “We always try to accom- men, plus two banks joined, and the deal was fi nancially closed. plish more and reach higher. Look at what we have managed “It was a big plan, but we carried it out step by step, plane by in the last seven years. We’re the only private airline in the plane.” In August 2006, less than two years later, the fi rst Insel Caribbean that is IATA-certifi ed. This is the highest certifi cation Air fl ight hit the skies. an airline can get. On top of that, we always use the newest tech- nologies and we are doing everything to provide the best service. Now seven years later, the airline services 17 destinations, We want to reach as high as possible in every possible way.” with plans to expand to 28 destinations in the near future. The 28 CURAÇAO BUSINESS | NUMMER 2 | 2014 Albert Kluyver, CEO of InselAir Although Insel Air is still developing, the ment with the government that solved the airline has had setbacks as well. The down- transportation issues we had between our grade from Hato Airport in 2012 was a two countries. Venezuela is important for big disappointment for the whole aviation Curaçao. The Venezuelans used to invest sector on Curaçao. After the abolition of in Isla Margarita, but Curaçao is a safer and the Netherlands Antilles in 2010, Curaçao better product. They’re moving everything had to be rated as a separate country. The to Curaçao. The Venezuelans are probably American aviation authority, the Federal the biggest investors on the island at this Aviation Administration (FAA), investigated moment.” Hato Airport and announced in January 2012 that Hato was not safe enough to be rated as A big accomplishment for the company is a category 1 airport; Hato Airport was down- that it completed its fi rst C-check this year on graded to category 2 status. This meant no Curaçao. A C-check is an aircraft mainte- new routes from Curaçao to the United States nance check that every airline is required were possible. For Insel Air, this downgrade to do after a certain number of fl ights. The resulted in reducing their fl ights to Charlotte C-check is a time-consuming and costly pro- from two fl ights a week to one. “We can’t con- cess, during which, the aircraft is grounded trol everything,” Kluyver remarked. “We’re and must remain on the maintenance site. still hoping Hato will be upgraded to category Insel Air is lucky to have the ability to 1 again. When this happens, we will increase perform the C-check at its home base on the number of fl ights to the U.S. It is now in Curaçao. “We are currently checking two the hands of the government of Curaçao.” Insel Air Aruba received its Air Operator certifi cate in 2012. This gave Insel Air Aruba “We’re still hoping Hato permission to operate fl ights out of Aruba to other destinations. People on Curaçao will be upgraded to expressed concern about the new hub because category 1 again. When they feared Insel Air would trade Curaçao for airline also has interline agreements with Aruba. However, this was never the inten- this happens, we will almost every airline providing service to tion. “Most big companies have branches on increase the number and from Curaçao. “These interlines have Bonaire, Saint Maarten or Aruba. It’s only great benefi ts for our passengers”, Kluyver natural that Insel Air does the same”, Kluyver of fl ights to the U.S.” says. “For example: all travelers who use clarifi es. “Aside from this, the product Aruba Curaçao as a hub station can check in for all is totally different than the product Curaçao. fl ights at once due to the interline agree- Tourists going to Aruba come to party and ments.” Passengers get one booking code lay on white beaches while Curaçao is known for all fl ights so the system knows the total for its beautiful diving spots and fi shing trips. aircrafts and before August, we want to fi nish fl ight plan. Kluyver adds, “If you wish, your Aruba and Curaçao are two different products the C-check on three more planes”, Kluyver luggage can be labeled to the fi nal desti- with different targets: the destinations don’t states. “For the C-check alone, we employ 60 nation so you don’t need to stand in line have to bite each other in the least.” people and this is probably going to increase again.” to up to 100 people. Fortunately, all the exper- Insel Air contributes to Curaçao’s econ- tise is here on the island and we can provide Insel Air hopes to sign these interline agree- omy with their share in the tourist sector, jobs for locals during this process.” Insel Air ments with more airlines in the future to but Kluyver emphasizes that this is not their tries to fi ll employment positions with people provide better service and more destinations. greatest value. “Of course we bring lots of from Curaçao. At the moment they have 500 One of these destinations is Brazil. There tourists to the island, but most of our passen- local people on the payroll. have been negotiations in the past that didn’t gers are regional. Research shows that most pan out. However, according to Kluyver they people in the region come to Curaçao for busi- Insel Air is determined to keep using Curaçao are currently working on a new agreement to ness; they are willing to invest in this country. as a hub station, which means a lot of people open up that part of the world to the airline’s Tourists may stay longer, but sometimes they transfer through Curaçao on their way to clients. Besides Brazil, Insel Air wants to add don’t even leave their hotel.” another destination. According to Kluyver this fl ights from Curaçao to Colombia, Ecuador Twenty eight percent of Insel Air’s passen- is the perfect way to introduce the island to the and Guyana. “We have plans to add eleven gers are from Venezuela, a country that is not world. “Some people have never even heard of different destinations in the next year and a continually stable, but according to Kluyver, Curaçao, so the transfers help people become half”, Kluyver proudly tells. “This will result Venezuelans are very interested in Curaçao. aware of the island. They might not stay this in 200,000 new arrivals at Hato from Insel “We have had diffi culties with Venezuela, time, but chances are it gives them an idea for Air alone.” however, we just recently reached an agree- their next holiday to the Caribbean.” CURAÇAO BUSINESS | NUMMER 2 | 2014 29.