WILLEMSTAD - Subsidized flights between the Dutch Caribbean islands seem the only way to guarantee reliable air transport. This conclusion can be deduced from the SEO report on the problematic flight connections in the Dutch part of the Caribbean.

The SEO carried out research into supply and demand on flights between Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius. This shows that the demand for transport is rising, but the supply is lagging behind.

Many residents depend on a very limited number of airlines for air transport, which means that there are no vital connections when they are lost, such as recently InselAir. According to the SEO, this does not benefit the prosperity of the inhabitants and the local economy.

The SEO advises the Dutch Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen to look at subsidized flights. This should be done via so-called Public Service Obligations (PSOs), where the government awards routes to the airline and grants subsidy, provided that the ticket prices remain affordable and that the government has a say in the number of flights. In addition, the airline can be approached on matters such as delayed flights or cancellations.

PSOs are very common in the Caribbean. France, for example, already has such a construction for its territories. PSOs are also used in Europe to provide remote areas with air transport, such as in Scotland and Scandinavia.