Kralendijk- Divi Divi Air is bringing some desperately needed relief on the route between Bonaire and Curaçao with the deployment of their newly acquired DHC-6 Twinotter Aircraft. Although the Twinotters are still relatively small with a total capacity of 19 seats, they represent a more than 100% increase in capacity compared to the small Britten-Normander aircraft the airline was using so far.

The introduction of the new aircraft could not have come at a better time, after Insel Air left the island without a single flight on Saturday, January 27th and is still executing a very limited schedule.

The official inaugural flight of the Twinotter aircraft landed a little after four in the afternoon at Bonaire International Airport (BIA). However, as Divi Manager Germaine Richie-Durand pointed out upon arrival, the airline over the past weekend had already executed several flights with the PJ-DVD registered plane to help with the transportation of the scores of stranded Insel Air passengers. Richie-Durand said that they considered it nothing short of normal that the airline help out their colleagues at Insel who found themselves in rough waters due to technical and other issues plaguing the embattled carrier over the course of last week.

Richie-Durand also pointed out that the carrier was still busy to add flights to their reservation system and that they would gradually expand their flight schedule and capacity on the various flights. “There are still some minor details to be worked out, before we can deploy our second Twinotter aircraft”, according to the Divi Director who assured that it would not be long before the second airplane would also enter service.

After arrival of the airplane, a short ceremony was held in the Techno-Bar where both commissioner Ibi Martis and TCB General Manager Maurice Adriaens officially welcomed the new aircraft. Commissioner Martis said he admired the perserverance and vision of the Richie family which has, over the years, provided very reliable airline service to the island.

Richie-Durand said that the vision of Divi Divi was to bring the people of the ABC-islands closer together. “After the islands have officially parted ways, we are here to bring the people of our islands together”, said Richie Durand.