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Getting to Bonaire: Aruba to Bonaire
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2002-01-01 to 2002-10-27: Aruba to Bonaire
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By gregg brewer on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 7:30 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I've tried to contact the new Royal Arubian Airlines several times via their email. They wrote back only one time and said they'd be up an running by mid April. Their site still does not show fares.
Jake...is this airline going to fly (no pun intended)... any word in Bonaire? I am still not happy with the American fiasco at departure. I would love to see a good connection between Aruba and Bonaire...A number of US airlines fly to Aruba.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By gregg brewer on Thursday, April 18, 2002 - 6:21 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Received an email from Royal Arubian Airlines Wednesday afternoon which stated that the start up had been delayed. They are now expecting to start operations at the end of May. They say their web site will be functional by early May.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By gregg brewer on Saturday, April 27, 2002 - 8:44 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

received an email from Royal Arubian Airlines on Friday Apr 26 which stated that the web site was up and running www.flyraa.com . I check out the site and it appeared to be running. However, I plugged in some dates and looked for availabilty and the program didn't work correctly.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lydia S. Segal on Sunday, April 28, 2002 - 8:25 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Gregg,

Tried the same with both browsers and multiple times when I get to the point of putting in
dates it closes the entire browser. It would
be a great solution for me, as we have lots
of freg flyer miles on usair and could get
to aruba easily. Given the recent fair jumps
it would be a good solution. But what happens
if one gets stranded in Aruba? how do yo get
to Bon? (Assuming Royal Arubian is not flying)
We are headed out Aug-Sept.. Lydia

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marion Korschilgen on Sunday, April 28, 2002 - 8:38 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Try Avia Air: avia.do@setarnet.aw or calling 011-297-834600 or 011-5999-7850001.

It departs Aruba daily at 7:00 p.m. arriving at Bonaire 7:45 p.m.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By gregg brewer on Sunday, April 28, 2002 - 9:42 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Lydia,

That is exactly what I want to do...USAIR CLT AUA...nice connections that avoid MIA. Good connect times in Aruba if RAA delivers on their promises. I will be in Bonaire in late June (already set for AA thru PR) but will be checking on the RAA. I may go in Sept also. I really think that RAA will happen. Their web site shows that the aircraft has been delivered and the pilots are doing their check out work... $144 RT Aruba Bonaire is nice

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joe Raynak on Monday, April 29, 2002 - 3:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I took Avia Air Aruba-Bonaire-Aruba 2 weeks ago. Only a few people on the flight each way. R/T was $160.

Joe

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ida Christie on Monday, April 29, 2002 - 4:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

How was the time schedule for the round trip?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lydia S. Segal on Tuesday, April 30, 2002 - 7:58 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Joe,

How was avia air? Have they been around for a while? customer service? (ie similar to ALM/DCA?) Was the switch over from your US? based flight ok? Bags, customs? How did you do the booking? Lydia

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jevon on Tuesday, April 30, 2002 - 9:36 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I jumped on Avia at the last moment last week to avoid a minmum 2 hour wait in Curacao to get home to Bonaire.

Everything was very laid back, the two crew friendly, the flight noisy but smooth, only 3 of us on the plane and most important only 45 minutes Aruba - Bonaire and even more important the closest you get to Curacao Airport is about 1000 feet.

I recommend Avia as a simple alternative and apart from that they need support to keep going. Bonaire needs as many direct flights as possible wherever the originate from.

Steve

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sarah on Tuesday, April 30, 2002 - 2:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Steve, that's good to know.. that route might be worth us trying out in December when we're coming into BON from the US..

ps: hope all is well with you guys:)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lydia S. Segal on Tuesday, April 30, 2002 - 5:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Steve,

What is the deal with Cur airport. I am new to this. Also do you know anything about Avia in
terms of longevity? And can I ask the price
of the ticket? Lydia

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marion Korschilgen on Tuesday, April 30, 2002 - 7:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Lydia, I tried to answer your email but my mail keeps coming back. So I post my answer here:

Avia Air is operating for several months now and I haven't heard anything negative about them. I often pick up tourists who stay in our apartments
coming from Aruba with Avia Air. They are almost always on time.
The employee for Avia Air here on Bonaire gave me her cell phone number that I could always call when I need information. That's Rinia at 011-599-7850001. She is very nice and helpful.

The flight lasts about 45 minutes which definitely beats the stop over in
Curaçao with DCA.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lydia S. Segal on Tuesday, April 30, 2002 - 8:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Marion,

Thanks for the update. Sorry about the email.
Don't know what the problem is. For awhile the
mail box was full with dive pictures, but we
cleared that up.
I wonder if Avia is going to become Royal Arubian
Airlines? Anyone know? Lydia

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jevon on Wednesday, May 1, 2002 - 7:48 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Lydia,
There's no big thing with Cur. Airport, it's just an inconvenient place to hang around when you are only 35 minutes from home..........and flights seem to be going in any direction but due east.... but I'm not getting into that, suffice to say, in anyones books a direct 45 minute flight is better than 2 x 35 minutes plus a min 90 minute stopover and the price is right.
Sarah, all is fine, everybody happy and healthy.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael gaynor on Wednesday, May 1, 2002 - 3:09 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

No Avia will not become Royal Aruban Air

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joe Raynak on Thursday, May 2, 2002 - 6:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Lydia,
I booked the flight direct with Avia by phone. It's a very small airline with only a tiny kiosk office.

Bags are not transfered. You must pick up your bags in Aruba, clear customs, go outside and turn right. Walk to the end of the building and look around for a little office with Avia on it. Wait from someone to return and pay for your ticket. Check-in started about an hour before departure and took a 2 minutes. I was charged $20 for what they called overweight baggage. I think my total was 70lbs. There is no room for carry on, but you can pile stuff in the isle on the plane or hand your carry on to a guy at the cargo door at the plane.

I took United from Chicago and arrive in Aruba about 2:00PM. 5 hour layover to wait for the Avia flight to Bonaire.

The Bonaire to Aruba flight is 8:00PM, so you have to get a hotel for 1 night in Aruba to catch the 9:00AM United flight from Aruba to Chicago. Not good but my United flight was free.

joe

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By seb schulherr on Thursday, May 2, 2002 - 10:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I have to disagree. I find the airport in Curacao annoying, ill-signed, filled with self inportant and apathetic people who treat travelers like dirt no matter how nice you might be to them. You have to do silly tricks to get to your flight. I would rather nail my head to the floor than fly through Curacao.

seb
nyc

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By gregg brewer on Friday, May 3, 2002 - 7:27 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

The following message was cut and pasted from this weeks "Bonaire Reporter".... This is getting serious...it may really happen

"On Saturday, April 27, Royal Aruban Airlines made its first flight to Bonaire. The flight was only for crew familiarization, but beginning in mid-May the airline will make two trips a day between Bonaire and Aruba using Brasilia MB 120 aircraft with a 30-passenger capacity. These flights will make travel between the islands much more convenient."

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lydia S. Segal on Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 2:33 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Anyone have any updates on either Avia or
Royal Aruba Airlines. Planning on being down
between Aug 17 and Sept 6 with a free ticket
into Aruba via Us Air. thanks Lydia

 


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