from Amigoe 17 May

2.1 Millions for new parking places at airport

The management team of Flamingo Airport; from left to right Gerard Chin-A-Lien, Francis Winklaar, and Tico Wanga

KRALENDIJK — Bonaire International Airport (BIA) has started with the renovation of the parking places at Flamingo Airport. The work is an inconvenience for the tourists and users of the airport. To finish the work faster, they decided to do the work on the different areas of the parking place simultaneously. During a press conference of the airport company, technical manager Francis Winklaar asked the people for understanding and mentioned that the work is finished in June.

The airport introduces short- and long-term paid parking. Financial manager Gerard Chin-A-Lien indicated that the project is going to cost 2.1 millions. Most of this money is going to be spent on paving, installations of the automatic parking system, landscaping, and lighting. The first 15 minutes parking is going to be free; 2 guilders for each hour; and after four hours, 1 guilder with a maximum of 20 guilders per day. Long parking costs 10 guilders per day.

According to security manager Tico Wanga, a lot of attention is paid to safety with sufficient lights and cameras everywhere, and patrolling security personnel.

Hi Susan! Does it say when the charges will begin? My plan was to park, check in and check my bags, pick up my departure tax and then return the truck. Not sure now....

Wow...lots of changes going on in Bonaire....

Tribs, you have all that coin to spend, save it for your airport parking...

Very sad indeed...wow...St. Marteen doesn't even charge parking fees at their airport (at least not the last time I was there)...

I'm using the coins to buy snacks at Last Bite Bakery.

That was always a nice thing about Bonaire, the easy feeling at the airport.

Being able to dump the car in the carpark and return two weeks later to find it still there with the windows down and unlocked. Being able to stop off for a beer for half an hour.

Day by day, the island is losing it's charm.

Very sad.

I love going to the airport to do banking, get my phone cards, and meet and greet. No more. Antony, I agree, PHOOEY. I might as well move back to Antigua...

Hey Cyndelee, Sint Maarten has been charging at the airport for many years now. My first trip there over ten years ago, I parked and went for one day to Saba.........that one day turned into two nights (2-1/2 days), and when I got back I was socked with a $50.00 charge for parking at the airport..........needless to say, I now plan side trips either before or after my stay in Sint Maarten.

Hi Ann.

The prospect of moving to Antigua sounds such a chore to us in chilly Europe.

If you fancy a swap just Email me.

Tony...............

Although obviously nobody will be happy with paid parking, I do understand that they had to come up with some kind of solution for more and more cars being parked there for weeks or months while the owners were in Holland or God knows where...
What other option was there?
"Being able to dump the car in the carpark and return two weeks later to find it still there with the windows down and unlocked. Being able to stop off for a beer for half an hour" is of course great, but if we all do it, it won't work.
There is more people around you in this world, Anthony. Try not to forget.

Susan, I thought there was no charge...lol...but then again, that trip is a little fuzzy for me...being the nightmare it was! lol!

Windsurfer, I thought about the same thing, leaving the car there while traveling somewhere else. I can see that point, but it's a bummer like Ann said, if you want to make a quick stop for cash or something. Hopefully it won't affect the tourits too much...we now park the rental, do our luggage check in, boarding pass, departure tax, then return the rental...guess we'll have to change strategies.

Boat Chick, yes you're right for people like Ann (and me) it means we have to our thing there within 15 minutes to avoid being charged. That's not island feel indeed.
Don't think it will affect tourists so much because it's only a little more than 1 USD per hour.
Considerable raise of airport taxes in the last year probably had more impact.

Windsurfer.

Thanks for the patronising post!

I guess that unless one spells things out in words of less than one syllable, some will take things literally.

As far as stopping off for a beer, you may be surprised how many do that. I am sure that the bar will see the loss of revenue.

Maybe a better idea for those concerned about Bonaire would be to cap rental vehicles and impose taxes on the residents who, for whatever reason feel the need to run ridiculous vehicles such as Hummers.

And yes, it's STILL

Antony (WITHOUT THE "H")

The British invented the art of being patronising,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The airport used to charge a long time ago and it lasted a short while. Wanna bet there will be a revolt and some sort of compromise reached? Bonaire has a way of reaching its own level...

WOW Ant(h)ony!!! Cool it!!!!
I don't think Windsurfer was attacking you in particular.

Anyway, I certainly hope we are not forgetting why we all love Bonaire and I am pretty sure it has nothing to do with the airport and it's "wannabe an international airport" attitude.

I have always enjoyed small airports -- from that perspective, it is too bad that "progress" marches forward. I have seen the runway lengthened, the new departure area, the rental area moved once (and now twice) and many other changes. IMHO, there are some very pro-growth voices on the island and this appears to fall into that category.

To Michael's point: Agreed, they could modify the plan some as things go forward. There are ways to help out the airport bar and shops (allow them to validate parking provided that the bill is greater than a certain amount).

And, for those, like Ann, who are there as a tour operator to greet arriving clients, they could either exempt them entirely or, more likely, allow the first hour (rather than 15 minutes) free. For the larger operations, I am not sure that paying the full price (probably 2 guilders) per pick up is going to materially impact their margins.

As a tourist returning a car, any airport parking charges for checking in for my flight would be trivial (probably 2 or 4 nafl).

Here is what will be the largest impacts:
a) Wait times to enter (and especially leave) the airport. Paying money will take time. People won't have change. Their wallet will be in their luggage, etc.
b) Residents will change the way the park. For a day trip to Curacao, they might park at the airport. If it is two weeks, they will either get a ride from family or they may take a cab.
c) Not sure if this is the case already, but I could also see the airport restricting which taxis will be able to pick up folks at the airport. Many airports in other locations already do that.

Cyndelee,

Maybe you should try the system that has worked for me.

I park the rental, do my luggage check in, boarding pass, departure tax, et al as early as possible, then return to my hotel, shower (that makes the flights feel so much better!), check out there and then return the rental vehicle close to flight (or Amstel!) time. I have been able to do the paperwork at the hotel ahead of time so I only drop off the key at departure.

That worked well before the present security system but should be workable now too.

Glen, that's what we did the last time, checked in, went back to the hotel, showered, had breakfast, and then went back to the airport around 6:30am to return the truck.

However, I'm now looking at that wonderful Delta flight...leaves at 3pm...lots of time to play for a few hours before heading home! Plus, everyone knows I'm not a "morning person"

Even with an early, strong black coffee??? :–)

Nope...just ask Tom...lol! It takes me at least two hours in the morning before the synapses from my brain actually reach other areas of my body...

Cyndelee's mornings????



(Message edited by glenr on May 20, 2008)

I need that for my son.

LMAO Glen...I'm ok as long as you don't try to make eye contact with me, or talk to me...

Does that mean 'cuddling' is ok?????

as long as my eyes are closed (which would mean I would still be asleep)...LOL!

I'll stop here!!!! :–))

LOL Glen, you started it. And man have we gone


(Message edited by modcynde on May 21, 2008)

Nothing cheers me so much has a topic gone bad....

Cynde, I think you would find "spooning" acceptable since you do not have to look anyone in the eye .

I wonder how Tom fares flying the CO red-eye w/ Cyndelee??? Is that why she seems to often travel to Bonaire alone??? :–)

Glen, I don't know how tom feels about it, but I can tell you that that's why i go to bonaire alone...on the redeye...michael doesn't want to have to suffer through it...lol!

I bet I have really cornfused you now