WILLEMSTAD - The Minister of Traffic, Transport, and Urban Planning (VVRP), Charles Cooper, has been ordered by the court to make a new, better-substantiated decision regarding Winair's request to increase flights between Curaçao and Sint Maarten. This new decision must be made by August 5th. The court ruled that the current rejection of the request was inadequately justified, stating that the ministry did not clearly explain the legal grounds and considerations for the denial.
Currently, Winair is the only airline operating passenger flights between Curaçao and Sint Maarten, particularly after Jetair's bankruptcy. The airline cannot meet the high demand for flights due to restrictions on additional services. Although the upcoming airline Z Air could potentially offer competition, it is not yet operational.
The court emphasized the undesirability of having only one airline serve this route. Winair's request was initially denied to avoid competition with Z Air, but the court declared that this is not a valid reason to limit Winair's expansion.
Cooper must reconsider Winair's request, taking into account the interests of travelers and ensuring that competition concerns are not the primary reason for any decision.