ORANJESTAD – Airline Bestfly has decided to surrender its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) in Aruba, a move that appears to end — at least for now — previously announced plans for a permanent regional airline service between Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao.
The company confirmed in a statement that it had decided to discontinue its AOC operations on Aruba following an internal evaluation.
“Bestfly wishes to inform its clients and associates that, after a period of evaluation, it has decided to cease its AOC operations in Aruba,” the airline stated in comments cited by Corporate Jet Investor.
The decision comes less than a year after reports emerged that Bestfly was working on launching a regional connection between the ABC islands. As part of those plans, the airline had registered an Embraer aircraft intended for commercial operations between Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao.
At the time, the initiative was welcomed by several stakeholders as a possible improvement for regional accessibility, an issue that has remained a longstanding concern within the Dutch Caribbean because of high ticket prices, limited flight options, and dependence on a small number of airlines.
According to aviation lawyer and columnist Lincoln D. Gomez, Bestfly already had an operational base on Aruba, local personnel, and experience operating regional aircraft such as the Embraer E190 and ATR 72-600.
However, it had also been emphasized that structural support from governments, airports, and aviation authorities would likely be necessary for the regional service to become financially sustainable.
The anticipated support from the Aruban government reportedly remained limited.
With the surrender of the AOC, the prospect of a Bestfly-operated regional airline service within the Caribbean now appears to be on hold indefinitely.
It remains unclear whether the airline intends to remain active in the region through other operations or partnerships in the future.