Publication of a National Decree extending and expanding Winair’s operating license (see Friday/Saturday edition) confirms that the local carrier made considerable strides in the past few years. Its network has expanded beyond the destinations approved in 2020 and now includes Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Virgin Gorda, and Montserrat too.
This comes on top of earlier existing flights to St. Eustatius, Saba, St. Barths, Nevis, St. Kitts, Tortola, Anguilla, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Guadeloupe, Martinique, San Juan, and the Dominican Republic. The acquisition of two ATR-42-500 planes and addition of two more helped the airline become a major regional player.
However, a new progress report indicates that high inter-island travel costs are still a major obstacle to economic integration and regional cooperation in the Caribbean Netherlands. A long-awaited legislative proposal enabling Public Service Obligations (PSOs) for air routes has been therefore been sent to the Dutch Parliament.
If adopted, this would allow government to subsidise flights between St. Maarten and the so-called BES islands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba). According to the report, for many residents and businesses high airfares severely restrict mobility, access to healthcare and trade.
The caretaker Dutch cabinet acknowledged that inter-island travel prices are among the highest per kilometre in the area. While proposed legislation sets a foundation for subsidies, actual funding decisions will fall to the next government being formed in The Hague.
The report further argues that improving mobility is essential for economic diversification, especially as the islands aim to develop regional roles in tourism, agriculture and logistics. Better connectivity would also make the labour market more flexible, giving employers access to a broader talent pool. It concludes that the Dutch government’s decision to acquire a minority stake (7.9%) in Winair has failed to achieve its intended purpose of ensuring affordable air connections between St. Eustatius, Saba, St. Maarten and, by extension, the rest of the world.
“In the case of Winair, the instrument of state participation has not proven suitable for structurally safeguarding public interests, as ticket prices between the Windward Islands are still considered too high,” stated outgoing Minister Robert Tieman of Infrastructure and Waterworks (I&W). According to the ministry, “the state’s interest as a shareholder conflicts with the company’s commercial interests, as the pressure to lower ticket prices runs counter to the airline’s financial goals.”
What the latter means for the near future remains to be seen, but Winair’s recent overall development and growth has been impressive to say the least.
