Princess Juliana International Airport SXM did not ring in 2018 with the customary cluster of private jets parked wingtip-to-wingtip by local aviation experts. However, some 20 jets did spend time parked at the airport.
The runway also saw a number of jets land to deliver celebrity passengers destined for yachts in Simpson Bay Lagoon or anchored just offshore of still-ritzy St. Barths and tranquil Anguilla. Some passengers were also St. Maarten/St. Martin bound. Two legendary guys who quite possibly made their way to St. Barths via St. Maarten were 75-year-old former Beatles singer Paul McCartney and 73-year-old Star Wars director George Lucas. They were spotted having lunch with their families in St. Barths on New Year’s Eve. Paul’s daughter, fashion designer Stella McCartney, was among those who joined the crew for the holiday meal.
