From Aruba to Bonaire?!

[DrSteve]

So we have air miles that can get us from the US to Aruba (They are NW miles). Easy, but despite serving both Aruba and Bonaire they don't serve a flight inbetween! I know that FlyExel will do the trip (which adds another 300+ to our trip cost)...does anyone know about any other ways to get to Bonaire (perhaps from Aruba)?

Cheers!

 

[mike_s]

ALM or KLM used to do the flights, but they went under. As did an airline called something like "Air Aruba".

For the most part, believe it or not, You don't have many options for going between the two islands. Aruba Fly and Dive will do a charter (private) and I don't know what that costs.

Are you planning on staying in Aruba for some time or just wanting to use it as a connection point? If you are wanting to try to use it as a connection point, I'd reconsider and try a more direct route to Bonaire. The "connection" airlines there aren't just dependble since there isn't a big demand on tourist travel between those islands. That and the time required to go through a seperate check in, seperate customs/imigration, etc. It's just not worth the extra time and expense.

 

[DrSteve]

ALM or KLM used to do the flights, but they went under. As did an airline called something like "Air Aruba".

For the most part, believe it or not, You don't have many options for going between the two islands. Aruba Fly and Dive will do a charter (private) and I don't know what that costs.

Are you planning on staying in Aruba for some time or just wanting to use it as a connection point? If you are wanting to try to use it as a connection point, I'd reconsider and try a more direct route to Bonaire. The "connection" airlines there aren't just dependble since there isn't a big demand on tourist travel between those islands. That and the time required to go through a seperate check in, seperate customs/imigration, etc. It's just not worth the extra time and expense.

We were just looking to use the air miles to save some money! Guess we'll have to use air jamaica.

 

[sprange]

So we have air miles that can get us from the US to Aruba (They are NW miles). Easy, but despite serving both Aruba and Bonaire they don't serve a flight inbetween! I know that FlyExel will do the trip (which adds another 300+ to our trip cost)...does anyone know about any other ways to get to Bonaire (perhaps from Aruba)?

Cheers!

You can always fly into Curacao then hop over with Divi Divi
http://www.baibini.com/

It's worth a shot, it was significantly cheaper for us (cost us a total of C$500 return per person from Canada).

Sean P

 

[diversteve]

So we have air miles that can get us from the US to Aruba (They are NW miles). Easy, but despite serving both Aruba and Bonaire they don't serve a flight inbetween! I know that FlyExel will do the trip (which adds another 300+ to our trip cost)...does anyone know about any other ways to get to Bonaire (perhaps from Aruba)?

Cheers!

If BonaireExel(FlyExel) is doing the flights, I think that's now your only option since DCA went out of business.

Other options would be Air Jamaica from Montego Bay - iffy since they've been taken over by the Jamaican govt. this year due to financial problems, or American through San Juan.

KLM flies into Bonaire, and they're a NW partner, but I think it's direct from Europe. Maybe they stop in Miami or Atlanta, might check with NW.

 

[blawler1]

We flew BonaireExcel from Aruba to Bonaire and back in January. What we found out is that weekend flights back from Bonaire are often late. We nearly missed our connection on Continental on the return when they had problems with the flight. As It turned out, they left two hours late with just my wife and me on the plane and expedited the Curacao connection (most flights connect in Curacao, so check on the direct flights). If your return is before noon, I would consider adding a lay over day on Aruba to ensure making the connection. Also, if you buy your tickets on Aruba, Bonaire Excel was only taking cash (about $160 per round ticket) and you then have to pay the departure tax ($33) in cash at the ticket counter. On the up side, flights leaving Bonaire to Aruba now only have to pay the $6 interisland departure tax instead of the full $20 international departure tax.

Also, you have to let them know you are divers up front to get the 30 kilo baggage allowance.

 

[mike_s]

We were just looking to use the air miles to save some money! Guess we'll have to use air jamaica.

Check the seperate post on here about Air Jamacia. There are several negative posts about people having problems with them since the Jamacian government apprantly took over and the financial problems. Apparantly a large percentage of canceled flights and flights that never "existed" in the first place. All this means you might not even have a flight down.

I'd check with American or another carrier before I put any money into Air Jamacia if it was me.

 

[Tom Smedley]

If you are planning on taking a trip to Bonaire at any time it is well worth the $30 US or so to get an online subscription to the Bonaire Reporter www.bonairereporter.com and keep up with the local politics and business and such. The regular section called Flotsam and Jetsam is filled with great tidbits. It seems that Air Excel was declaired bankrupt by the court of Maastricht Holland last Thursday. The future of the airline is dependent on the bankruptcy trustee.

A new issue of the Reporter is posted every Wednesday afternoon.

 

[blawler1]

Sorry to hear about the demise of BonaireExel, but not surprised. I thought that the cash only policy in Aruba was not a good sign. ALM, then DCA and now BE, not to mention AJ, its not a good market for flights from the US into Bonaire. Its a shame, but it looks like AE through San Juan is the only consistent service from the US. At least AA will make the news here if they bite the dust.

 

[Dragon2115]

This is just wonderful. I'm relying on BE to get from Aruba to Bonaire and back at the end of June. I'm going to have an ulcer by the time my vacation gets here.

I had heard/read that the court (in Curacau) wasn't going to allow the creditors to seize the airlines assets because it would cause the airline to cease operations and that would cause too much hardship to the islands. I take it that has now been overruled by the court in Holland? When do they expect to annouce the fate of the airline, or at least if it will continue service or not?