CURACAO: Divi Divi Air

Divi Divi Air N.V. is a small regional service airline in the Curaçao.

It was established in 2001 and is based in Curaçao. In the area its nickname is Divi.

The airline is named for the Divi-divi tree which grows in the region.

Divi Divi Air was founded in 2001 and commenced operations in 2002 with a fleet of Britten-Norman BN-2P Islanders to Bonaire.

For over 17 years Divi Divi Air has been a household name on the route between Curaçao and Bonaire.

The locals on the islands characterize the airline by its small scale, personal attention and particularly high punctuality.

Although the aviation company run by the Richie family has concentrated almost entirely on maintaining the route between Bonaire and Curaçao in the first 17 years, Aruba was added in 2018.

According to director Germain Richie-Durand, the intention is to improve the connection between Bonaire and Aruba.

Divi wants to bring the population of the three islands closer together, says Richie-Durand.

According to the Divi director, the Twin Otter will gradually be deployed more broadly on the routes of islands.

Divi Divi Air began flights out of Curaçao to Aruba on February 15, 2018. This was followed by the launch of operations to Aruba out of Bonaire on February 17, 2018.

The expansion signals that Divi Divi Air has now joined Aruba Airlines and Insel Air as the only known airlines connecting the Dutch Caribbean's ABC islands.

The Curaçaoan airline operates the Curaçao-Aruba service 6x weekly, the Curaçao-Bonaire service approximately 10x daily, while the flights out of Bonaire to Aruba are scheduled as 1x weekly.

All flights will be operated with Twin Otter and the Britten-Norman Islander.

Divi Divi Air strives to be an efficient and reliable airline for all the travel needs of people traveling between Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.

Divi Divi Air Destinations

- Kralendijk, Caribbean Netherlands, Flamingo International Airport.

- Oranjestad, Aruba, Queen Beatrix International Airport.

- Willemstad, Curaçao, Hato International Airport.

The Divi Divi Air fleet is composed of the following aircraft.

- Britten-Norman BN-2P Islander: 2

- Cessna 172P: 1

- de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter: 2

- Piper PA-32R: 1

- Total Aircrafts: 6

On October 22, 2009, a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander operating as Divi Divi Air Flight 014 suffered an engine failure and ditched five minutes flying time away from Bonaire.

The pilot was knocked unconscious on impact; his passengers could not undo his safety harness and he went down with the aircraft, but rescue boats picked up all nine passengers.

Tourism Observer

DUTCH CARIBBEAN: About Dutch Caribbean

Capital: Kralendijk (Bonaire)

Currency: Netherlands Antilles Guilder

The southern group of Dutch islands comprises Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, just north of Venezuela. All KLM flights to Peru and Ecuador touch down here which make extensions very easy. Dutch, the local colloquial language Papiamentu, Spanish and English are widely spoken. The islands offer year-round sunshine, with an average temperature of 27°C. The wettest months are December, January and February but even then showers are short as there is less than 560mm of rainfall a year.

Aruba

Aruba is the smallest island of the group, only 25km north of the Venezuelan coast, and has the best beaches. It is dry and arid so, before the desalination plant was built, it imported all its water from Dominica. Snorkelling and diving among the crystal-clear waters are the main attraction, and windsurfers from all over the world are attracted to Aruba's shallow water and high winds.

Bonaire

What Bonaire lacks in beaches it makes up for with natural spectacles. Being outside the hurricane belt, the coral reefs that surround the island remain undamaged, and with up to 60m visibility at the many dive and snorkelling sites it ranks as a top Caribbean diving destination. The sea birds are also a big attraction - the Washington-Slagbaai National Park has around 190 species. The nightly spectacle of flamingoes flying home to roost is a highlight.

Curaçao

Curaçao is the largest of the ABC islands. It is 65km long with sparse vegetation dominated by cactus and stunted divi divi trees. The capital, Willemstad, is an attractive colonial city with lovely, brightly coloured buildings and good restaurants offering local and international cuisine. Highlights include the Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue - it is the oldest continuously-used synagogue in the Western Hemisphere, dating back to 1732. There are some great beaches and over 30 dive sites, including several intriguing wrecks.