Dutch Antilles Express

[uvadave]

Does anyone have any recent experience flying DAE?

My wife and I are headed down to Bonaire and Curacao for one week each. We're flying DAE from BON->CUR after a week in Bonaire and then flying CUR->BON to catch our return flight on Delta back to the states. I've seen a lot of old reviews saying that these flights between islands on DAE were often delayed or cancelled, but I can't find anything very recent that indicates that this is still a problem. Being delayed BON->CUR would be a bummer, but tolerable. We have a 4 hour gap between our scheduled landing in BON and the departure to the states and I'm trying to figure out if I need to change that flight to an earlier time or day to guarantee that I won't miss the Delta flight back home.

Thanks

 

[Heatheroe]

You might want to look at another airline:

DAE (Dutch Antilles Express) Airline - Kralendijk Forum - TripAdvisor

 

[DeputyDan]

I would not have posted anything but since the suggestion was made to use a different airline - I concur.

We have always used Divi Divi Air and had not had any issues.
If you have alot of luggage you will need to work around Divi Divi limits but they have always worked with us on this (using other flights for luggage).
The luggage limits are the fact that there is only so much room and if the storage bin is full - its full.

 

[Reidkon]

Thanks for posting this! We are going to Bonaire and Curaçao for New Years.

You might want to look at another airline:

DAE (Dutch Antilles Express) Airline - Kralendijk Forum - TripAdvisor

 

[uvadave]

Thanks for the info. Given that we don't have a true time crunch getting from Bonaire to Curacao I think we'll risk it for the first flight. If there seem to be even the slightest problems we'll shell out a little extra cash and book a different carrier for the way back.

 

[Doctorfish]

That might not be an option. Divi Divi is a very small operation and they will probably be full by that time, so best to make your decision earlier. I've only flown with DAE once, they were 2 hours late and that was a few years ago, no recent experience. I usually go with Divi Divi and have not had any problems. As they are a small carrier with small planes, the check in is very quick as is boarding and disembarking. There is also something neat about coming over Klein Bonaire and into Flamingo Airport in a small plane.

 

[diversteve]

Neither is a totally reliable option but you might also look at Insel. InselAir Destinations - Where We Fly - Fly-InselAir.com
Many of their flights are continuations to/from the states so might be more likely to be on time.

There is also something neat about coming over Klein Bonaire and into Flamingo Airport in a small plane.

There's something neat about flying anywhere in the Caribbean in a small plane IMO. Except that one time...
Divi Divi Air Flight 014 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[DeputyDan]

There is also an airline called EZ Air but I don't know anything about them.

 

[Doctorfish]

diversteve, there is always that one time, isn't there? I've seen a major carrier jet slide off the end of the runway into the North Sound at Owen Roberts in GCM as well, so misadventure isn't unique to the small carriers. The heat and the humidity in the air can make any sort of flight in the Carribean exciting.

Having said that, your only other alternative to get to Bon from Cur would be swimming, and I think that any flight would be safer than that and certainly quicker.

 

[arubabob1]

I was in Aruba last winter and flew to Cur on DAE. I went twice. Nov and March. I did get like a 1 hour delay but the flights were very good. Hope this helps.