Willemstad- In spite of the fact that expectations were already low when it comes to the ability to save Insel Air, the loss of the company’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC) is another blow to those working frantically to save the embattled carrier from going bankrupt.

Insel Air’s chances of survival had already dampened considerably after interCaribbean Airways’ withdrawal of their offer to buy 49% of the shares of the company.

interCaribbean had, after the execution of a ‘due diligence study’, expressed interest in taking over Insel Air’s operations, but in a later phase failed to produce sufficient financial guarantees to ensure the payment of Insel Air’s creditors. Under the agreement interCaribbean would have supplied Insel Air not only with planes, but also a number of crew to operate these aircraft. To the dismay of many involved, none of interCaribbean’s promises materialized.

According to various media reports on Curaçao today, the Curaçao Civil Aviation Authorities (CCAA), -given the circumstances, were not willing to renew Insel Air’s AOC. The loss of the AOC make the chances for Insel Air even slimmer than they already were.

Refunds

Until recent, Insel Air was still offering tickets and ‘special fares’. Over the past few days there were a lot of complaints of social media that the Company could not be reached for claims to refund already purchased tickets.

Insel Air’s role as main means of transportation between Bonaire and Curaçao has, in the meantime, been taken over by Divi Divi Air and EZ-Air, which have both increased frequency and capacity on the route.