Does anyone know if BonairExcel is starting a direct flight from Miami to Bonaire in the near future?

No bonaire exel is going to stop flying because of the problems in the exel aviation group klm will take over bonairexel curacaoexel and windwardexel and turn it into a company which fly's tons of places via curacao.

BTW Melvyn American airlines does daily flights Miami Curacao from there u can head to bonaire with bonairexeland curacaoexel

Kind regards, benji

Benji and Jake et al,

is there anything official on Benji's report...or is this just a rumor...we've heard rumors before, if this is official, this is a significant announcement

No idea. I've not had my ear to the ground on this stuff in some time. For the most part I stick to flying American out of Bonaire or Curacao since I'm heavily vested in their frequent flyer program, and can use one airline (with the occasional Divi Divi or rare BonairExel flight to get me to/from Curacao) to get to where I need to get to.

Although, if this were official, I would guess you would be able to read about it on the KLM web site. You can also try your hand at reading Papiamentu to see what's in the Extra (www.extrabon.com) about this sort of thing.

Jake

Bonaire Reporter this week has an article about corporate realignment that is *apparently* going on to make the Caribbean parts of the Exel group a new company independent of the European Exel since that group's top executive is under indictment for some sort of financial fraud. KLM may be involved but that has not been confirmed by KLM. It seems an airline will continue under a more local ownership. All to the good, hopefully.

(Message edited by glenr on January 19, 2005)

Hello everyone, I found the below article in the English version of the Amigoe at www.amigoe.com, and have copied it from their site for your information. I guess only time will tell what the end results will be. And here I was hoping that we finally would have a good airline connection with BonaireExel. I too have had trouble contacting them - this year.

Aviation institute continues
search for international partner

CURAÇAO – With funds from Korpodeko and the bank (MCB) the Curaçao
Airline Development institute continues the search for an international aviation corporation to serve as a partner with the setup of a local aviation company.

According to the institute, their work wouldn’t stand in the way of the Central Government’s idea to approach the KLM for support with the setup of e new corporation. "We are in fact searching for the same thing", stated Jim Hepple on behalf of the CTB tourism bureau and board member of the institute. "We’re looking for a partner. KLM is doing the same", the CTB-top man refers to the statements made by the Dutch airliner these last few weeks in this regard.
Last week Dutch Eagle Express announced that they would be working on a new aviation company together with the KLM. The parties are currently negotiating the details. KLM and the government had previously announced that the idea was establish an airliner by the first quarter of this year.
Nothing is yet certain according to the aviation development institute which is why they continue to work on it, announced the institute. There were a handful of serious reactions to the advertisements placed in a few foreign papers as well as the Amigoe. Earlier this year the institute, chaired by StIP-director Stanley Betrian, wrote to 34 corporations trying to interest them in participating in an aviation company in Curaçao.
The Curaçao Airline Development Foundation furthermore includes Billy Jonckheer (on behalf of the Chata and the commerce) Sidney Martis and Richinel Ilario (trade unions), Ramon Chong (Economic Affairs) and Wally Abernathy (airport).