Anotherone bites the dust

[CK]

Dutch Caribbean Airlines suspends service: reports
Mary Kirby, Washington DC (01Oct04, 21:28 GMT, 251 words)


Curacao’s Dutch Caribbean Airlines (DCA) has apparently ceased operating amid reports the state-owned carrier has declared bankruptcy.

A spokeswoman with the Bonaire Tourism Board says she can only confirm that the Netherlands Antilles carrier is “not flying”.

Calls to DCA’s reservations are not being answered, and the carrier’s web site is no longer available.

According to unsubstantiated reports on the Internet, DCA axed service yesterday following a decision by the government to request that the carrier be declared bankrupt. Various newspaper reports in the region, however, say the declaration of bankruptcy has not yet been finalized.

DCA launched in 2002 after taking over the assets of incumbent Air ALM.

Over the last several months, the carrier has faced mounting financial and operational issues, and in August accepted a $4 million government bailout to stay afloat.

In particular, the carrier’s reliability between Amsterdam in the Netherlands with its home island has been compromised. DCA previously operated the services in partnership with Sobelair of Belgium, but this carrier was stripped of its operating certificate earlier this year after filing for bankruptcy. Since that time, DCA has struggled to replace capacity on the route.

Netherlands-based Exel Aviation recently launched a new brand, DutchCaribbeanExel, flying the Curacao-Amsterdam route with Boeing 767-300ER.

The St Maarten Tourism Board is now directing people to call DutchCaribbeanExel for services between the Netherlands Antilles and Amsterdam. It is not immediately clear what ties, if any, the Exel Group might now have with DCA.

Calls to DutchCaribbeanExel were not immediately returned.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

[Blubird]

Og de som fløy DC9'ere og alt...stilig design hadde de også.