WILLEMSTAD - Minister of Economic Development (MEO) Ruisandro Cijntje says in a press release that he is working on an alternative to KLM flights that will be canceled in the period from December to March. The airline is forced to reduce the number of flights due to the problems at Schiphol. The measures are a major financial setback for Curaçao.
The Dutch airport has been struggling with a staff shortage for some time. Due to the upcoming crowds, Schiphol has set a limit on the number of departing passengers. Therefore, from December 5 to December 18, KLM will only fly to Curaçao once a day. From December 19 to January 8, the second flight will return temporarily. From January 9 to the end of March, the KL733 flights will be canceled again.
Due to the adjusted flight schedule, Curaçao will miss out on 320 seats a day. According to Cijntje, KLM's decision has a major impact on the island and the costs will rise to about twenty million dollars. Together with the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB), alternatives are being sought to mitigate the effects of the measures.
For example, the possibility is being examined to allow other airlines to fly to Curaçao more often and with more seats. The minister also wants to look at the options for having flights depart from other cities in Europe.