A388 From Netherlands Antilles, joined May 2001, 9067 posts, RR: 13 Posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1734 times:
Hi,
I just read in our local newspaper (amigoe.com) that our government (Netherlands Antilles) is in the final stages of finalizing an open skies air agreement between the United Kingdom and the islands of the Netherlands Antilles. This agreement has to be ractified/approved by the Netherlands first before go-ahead takes place.
Even though this agreement is not conclusive yet it indicates some truth to it as these rumours have been going on in Curacao for quite some time now. So my question is: How is demand from the U.K. to the Netherlands Antilles, and in particular to Curacao? Which U.K. charter airlines might be interested in flying to Curacao? First Choice, Thomas Cook Airlines, TUI Britannia? Can we expect British charter flights to Curacao by the end of this year?
On a side note, MP will start a once weekly flight to Curacao as of the end of October with a second flight being added from December. Besides MP, we have KL and Arkefly flying to Curacao. KL has a daily 744 flight to Curacao while Arkefly has a three-weekly 763 flight to Curacao with plans to increase this to 4-5 flights per week. However, with MP now also starting Curacao flights I wouldn't be too surprised that Arkefly is becoming a bit more cautious to increase their capacity to Curacao.
A388 From Netherlands Antilles, joined May 2001, 9067 posts, RR: 13 Reply 2, posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 1682 times:
Quoting Humberside (Reply 1): Maybe First Choice will be interested as they also serve Aruba and are focusing on long haul expansion at the moment
Hi Humberside, thank you for the reply. It wuold be nice to have First Choice here. I didn't know they also served AUA, must be in the winter season when there are also charterflights from Canada to AUA and CUR. I was actually hoping for Thomas Cook Airlines to start flights to CUR but oh well. Anything goes for me!
MainMAN From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2005, 2064 posts, RR: 6 Reply 3, posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 1671 times:
Quoting A388 (Thread starter): So my question is: How is demand from the U.K. to the Netherlands Antilles, and in particular to Curacao?
There's practically no demand from the UK to Curacao, until British tour operators set up flights and holidays and then tell people that's where they want to go.
AUA747 From Aruba, joined Jul 2006, 136 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 1627 times:
Quoting Humberside (Reply 1): Maybe First Choice will be interested as they also serve Aruba and are focusing on long haul expansion at the moment
First Choice is flying during the summer. Currently they operate a weekly (monday) flight to Aruba. I will have to check up on the loads of that flight.
I think CUR has more potential in the European market then AUA does.
Humberside From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2005, 4899 posts, RR: 5 Reply 5, posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 1610 times:
Quoting AUA747 (Reply 4): First Choice is flying during the summer. Currently they operate a weekly (monday) flight to Aruba. I will have to check up on the loads of that flight.
Next summer, the First Choice brochure shows fortnightly flights to both LGW and MAN
A388 From Netherlands Antilles, joined May 2001, 9067 posts, RR: 13 Reply 6, posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 1606 times:
Quoting AUA747 (Reply 4): First Choice is flying during the summer. Currently they operate a weekly (monday) flight to Aruba. I will have to check up on the loads of that flight.
Quoting Humberside (Reply 5):
Next summer, the First Choice brochure shows fortnightly flights to both LGW and MAN
Hmm, interesting. How come I have never seen the U.K. charterflights on the arrivals list on the airport website of AUA? I look at the AUA arrivals daily and have never seen any U.K. charterflights appearing. Charterflights from North American Airlines, USA3000 and SkyService do appear (?)
I would like to know the likelihood of U.K. charterflights to CUR.
Destinations From United Kingdom, joined May 2006, 194 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 1591 times:
Quoting A388 (Reply 6): I would like to know the likelihood of U.K. charterflights to CUR.
Highly unlikely i believe.
Is it as expensive as Aruba? If it is then some people will be deffinatly put off seen as they can get to the Dominican Republic cheaper than a flight to europe in some cases.
The only airline with room for expansion is First Choice anyway, possibly rotating with its Aruba flights or as part of a stop off.
Is it as expensive as Aruba? If it is then some people will be deffinatly put off seen as they can get to the Dominican Republic cheaper than a flight to europe in some cases.
The only airline with room for expansion is First Choice anyway, possibly rotating with its Aruba flights or as part of a stop off.
I've never been to AUA but what I've heard friends tell me is that AUA is more expensive than CUR as there are much more tourists going to AUA compared to CUR. In this regard CUR is cheaper but I don't know how much cheaper.
TCXDegsy From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2006, 500 posts, RR: 1 Reply 10, posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 1510 times:
Quoting A388 (Reply 2): I was actually hoping for Thomas Cook Airlines to start flights to CUR but oh well. Anything goes for me!
My information is that TCX are going to expand their longhaul offerings, thanks to the addition of their 3rd A330... however, it's believed they are going to expand eastwards!
next flights: BA1441 0566 0581 1446 EDI-LHR-MXP-LHR-EDI
A388 From Netherlands Antilles, joined May 2001, 9067 posts, RR: 13 Reply 11, posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 1500 times:
Quoting TCXDegsy (Reply 10): My information is that TCX are going to expand their longhaul offerings, thanks to the addition of their 3rd A330... however, it's believed they are going to expand eastwards!
Thanks for the info TCXDegsy. Keep me updated when you know more
Cwldude From United Kingdom, joined May 2006, 691 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days ago) and read 1456 times:
Yes I'd say it's gonna be either TCX or FCA. For the reasons stated above, FCA are concentrating on expanding their long-haul offerings, and they're concentrating on offering fortnightly destinations from the UK, so they could make it work.
TCX are getting a new A330 at the end of the year, so it could work for them too as they wouldn't need to dump any current routes to start it off.
Would be nice to see a route like this working as Ive always been interested in visiting the Netherlands Antilles, would be a nice break
Thomson Airways - The UKs premier charter airline // now flown : BY -AA -AJ -AE -AT; OO -AX -AU -RA -BG; BRIG; OBYD
A388 From Netherlands Antilles, joined May 2001, 9067 posts, RR: 13 Reply 13, posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 1439 times:
Quoting Cwldude (Reply 12): Would be nice to see a route like this working as Ive always been interested in visiting the Netherlands Antilles, would be a nice break
Charterflights from the U.K. to Curacao has never been done before as far as I know so it will indeed be nice to see these flights coming to Curacao as well. For Europeans Curacao is still cheap and British tourists are known to come here but mostly on cruise ships as far as I know. I hope it goes through, everybody is wellcome here of course and it also means more aircraft for me to photograph!!
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