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Getting to Bonaire: Has Dutch Caribbean Airlines gone out of business??
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2004-08-16 to 2004-12-31: Has Dutch Caribbean Airlines gone out of business??
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Shannon Harris (BonaireTalker - Post #29) on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 5:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Does anyone have any information on the status of DCA? Their website is not working and the phone number is always busy. I heard, not too long ago, that they were having money problems. I am concerned as four of my friends have bought tickets to Bonaire from Miami.

Any information is greatly appreciated!


 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter (Moderator - Post #5149) on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 6:21 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Not sure - this week's Bonaire Reporter indicates that one of DCA's planes has been ground by the leasing company for lack of payment, leaving only 3 operable planes. And the Curacao government got a recommendation to withhold a NAF 12 million line of credit until some financial irregularities are resolved. Of course, that news is several days old...

The Web site definitely seems to have been taken off-line, which is not encouraging.

Your friends should try and call DCA's office on Curacao (I just tried calling them a couple of times, but the line was busy): 011-599-9-869-5533 and see what's up.

I'd suggest looking for alternate flights, just in case, however. American flies once (or sometimes twice) daily from/to Curacao/Miami, and you have a choice of BonairExel or Divi Divi from Curacao to Bonaire. From Miami, you can also use American via San Juan three days a week. And maybe Air Jamaica (don't know if the connect times work on that one though).

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter (Moderator - Post #5150) on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 6:34 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I just tried the DCA number again, and got through to a voice prompt that said in Papiamentu that everyone is busy helping other clients, please hold. That's more promising. They are open (according to the Curacao phone book) until 8pm weekdays and 7pm weekends...

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Walt III (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #216) on Saturday, September 25, 2004 - 10:00 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Here is a link that has 2 articles about the problems at DCA.

Amigoe.com DCA Articles


 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By J.J zambrano mazzei (BonaireTalker - Post #36) on Saturday, September 25, 2004 - 7:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

dutch caribbean exel will be the same airline (DCA) with different name ? I remember (ALM) turn to (DCA) and now will change the name again? with the same delays.......

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sue Goodman (BonaireTalker - Post #63) on Saturday, September 25, 2004 - 8:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I like the first part of the link that notes a Newark-Curacao link is planned; while I have my AJ tickets for February, another option is always appreciated.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brigitte Kley - Coco Palm Garden (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #157) on Saturday, September 25, 2004 - 9:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Dutch Caribbean Exel has absolutly nothing to do with ALM or DCA... ALM was Antillean Government which than was taken over by the Curacao Government and called DCA
The Exel group is Dutch private owned, not exactly the same owners in each Exel. They operate in Holland (KLM Exel) and Italy (I think that is Europe Exel) mostly .. and we have the Bonaire Exel operating for more than 1 year now .. there will be also the Aruba Exel and the Curacao Exel (which starts flying beginning October to St.Maarten and plans to go Newark, Memphis, Miami and Panama, starting in the near future, they say) and the Dutch Caribbean Exel is flying for some months now Amsterdam - Curacao.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By June Wharam (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 7:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I finally contacted DCA on via phone and was told that they are no longer flying to Bonaire, they say that they are still flying from Miami to Aruba.

I had tried many time to get them on the phone and finally got through, so be prepared for a lot of calypso music while you are on hold.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By June Wharam (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 7:48 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Oh, forgot to add ... we're flying to Bonaire from Alaska, November 27 (our first trip). This really impacts us since we've already got connections out of Anchorage to Miami. Hope we get there! It's our first trip. BTW, DCA said they would refund our money ... I hope they mean that.

We're having trouble now getting in touch with BE. If someone could point us in the right direction --- like, do we need a secret handshake or something? --- we'd appreciate it.
June and Barry
See U BT's soon (fingers crossed)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By June Wharam (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 7:58 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Never mind ...
Found their website! (I never was good at spelling! I was trying to do a web search on Bonaire"Excel" with a "c" -- not "Exel").
I'm learning!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Cousino (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1069) on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 8:27 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

June, Make sure you get the "diver allowance" for your luggage.

BTW I am one who constantly misspells E X E L also. Just see the other thread.

Good luck and welcome to Bonaire Talk.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By June Wharam (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 10:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Will do! Thanks for the reminder; we'll need the extra allowance! :-)

Also ... a very big thank you to all BT's; all your posting have been very helpful. I log on every day; and every day I learn something new. This is a great website. Kudos!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brigitte Kley - Coco Palm Garden (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #161) on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 9:23 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

In all local news papers are articles that DCA could be declared bankrupt today.
http://www.laprensacur.com/
http://www.adcaribbean.com/PDF/P02.pdf

The Curacao government will vote also about taking care of the salaries of the employees for 3 months (starting with the salaray tomorrow) and they will vote over reimboursing already paid DCA tickets. About 1 month ago they voted to give DCA 12 Million Nafl for urgent payments.. that money was not given to DCA, because there would be direct claims from unpaid suplliers and it will now go into a foundation for above mentioned payments.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brigitte Kley - Coco Palm Garden (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #165) on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 11:58 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

This time in English from the St.Maarten Daily Herold
http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/h116/edit116.html

I can't figure out if they voted in the island council yesterday or not ... and if they declared DCA bankrupt or not .... even on the radio they are not clear about it.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marabeth Owens (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #129) on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 2:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

A friend of mine just got a full refund from DCA for a ticket that she could not use last New Years. She got VERY ill a day before we were to leave and could not go so after a few months of trying, she got almost the full amount refunded to her credit card. The only thing that they did not refund was the island tax or something like that but what the heck, she didn't think that she'd get any money back.

Mara

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Martin de Weger (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3604) on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 4:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

From the Dutch news: The island council on Curaçao has pulled the plug from DCA and is gonna ask for a bankrupcy. The loan of 3.000.000 Guilders wasn't enough to save DCA.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brigitte Kley - Coco Palm Garden (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #166) on Friday, October 1, 2004 - 10:11 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Another article from the Daily Herald in English ... it is still a mess ... If anybody has DCA tickets, I really would suggest to get rid of them NOW
http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/h117/dca117.html
You can find similair articles in all the (dutch-papiamento) news papers today

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Shannon Harris (BonaireTalker - Post #30) on Sunday, October 3, 2004 - 10:05 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I want to thank everyone for their information. Unfortunately I did not have a chance to look at your replies until this past Friday.

I have contacted my friends and advised them of the situation. They are trying to get their money back from their credit cards now. Has anyone gone through this type of situation before with their credit card company? If so, what was the outcome?

Please keep posting information as it becomes available.

Thanks!
Shannon

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By June Wharam (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Sunday, October 3, 2004 - 4:07 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sharon, we're in a similar situtation -- just like your friends. We rebooked with AA (coming from Alaska) and BE, and all is well.

We notified our cc company about DCA, and have 30 days to dispute the charges. If DCA doesn't refund our money after 30 days, we will dispute the charges with our cc company; they will reimburse our costs for the DCA flights, then they go after DCA to get reimbursed.

Your friends may want contact their cc company just to get the charges flagged and start the ball rolling.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By June Wharam (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #6) on Sunday, October 3, 2004 - 4:07 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sharon, we're in a similar situtation -- just like your friends. We rebooked with AA (coming from Alaska) and BE, and all is well.

We notified our cc company about DCA, and have 30 days to dispute the charges. If DCA doesn't refund our money after 30 days, we will dispute the charges with our cc company; they will reimburse our costs for the DCA flights, then they go after DCA to get reimbursed.

Your friends may want contact their cc company just to get the charges flagged and start the ball rolling.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brigitte Kley - Coco Palm Garden (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #184) on Tuesday, October 12, 2004 - 3:59 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Today news

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/h126/dca126.html

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brigitte Kley - Coco Palm Garden (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #186) on Thursday, October 14, 2004 - 7:25 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

In all news papers today:
The last flight of DCA was on Tuesday evening.
Yesterday DCA has been officially declared bankrupt

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ingrid Plemmons (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #10) on Sunday, October 24, 2004 - 10:45 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

After contacting my bank, they reversed the DCA charges. We have re-booked with American.
Ingrid

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter (Moderator - Post #5226) on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 8:53 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

The following news blurb finally hit Travel Weekly this morning - a publication for the travel industry (www.travelweekly.com):

DCA Dutch Caribbean Airlines stops flying (10/22/2004)

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao -- DCA Dutch Caribbean Airlines, based here, ceased operations earlier this month.

The carrier had offered flights throughout the Dutch islands, including Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius, as well as service between Curacao and Amsterdam.

Both Bonaire Excel, a commuter line based in Bonaire, and American Eagle have expressed an interest in picking up DCA's Caribbean routes.

To contact the reporter who wrote this article, send e-mail to Gay Nagle Myers at gmyers@ntmllc.com.
Jake


 


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