Flamingo International Airport (Flamingo International Airport)
Flamingo International Airport, also called Bonaire International Airport, is an international airport located near Kralendijk on the island of Bonaire in the Caribbean Netherlands. It was once the hub for BonaireExel and CuraçaoExel before they were rebranded as Dutch Antilles Express, and served as a secondary hub for Dutch Antilles Express and Insel Air. The airport is the fourth largest in the Dutch Caribbean, after Queen Beatrix International Airport on Aruba, Princess Juliana International Airport on Sint Maarten and Curaçao International Airport on Curaçao and is now the largest airport in the Caribbean Netherlands, with F. D. Roosevelt Airport in Sint Eustatius being the second largest and Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport in Saba being the smallest.
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM, TUI Airlines Netherlands and United Airlines are currently the largest airlines that operate scheduled flights to Bonaire. The airport is capable of handling wide-body aircraft up to the Boeing 747, though the largest type to operate to Bonaire currently is the Airbus A330, operated by KLM. The airport is currently a hub for EZAir and once served as a hub for BonaireExel/BonaireExpress, CuracaoExel/Curacao Express, Dutch Antilles Express and KLM. It also serves as a focus city for Divi Divi Air and also served for the aforementioned Dutch Antilles Express prior to ceasing operations, as well as Air ALM, Dutch Caribbean Airlines and Insel Air.
Bonaire's first airport was located near Tra'i Montaña near Subi Blanku and crossed the current road from Kralendijk to Rincon. It was only a landing strip and a shelter. It was built in 1936 and is considered the location of the beginning of aviation on Bonaire.
The construction work for this airport began on September 23, 1935. The intention was to make a longer runway, but it proved impossible to construct more than 475 meters because the eastern portion of the land was very low. Part of the field had to be modified, in particular where aircraft met or left the ground during landing and take-off. This area covered more than 100 metres of the runway, and had to be paved with a mixture of sand and stone.
KLM decided on May 9, 1936, to route-test the first flight to Bonaire from Curaçao. The Oriol (Fokker F-XVIII "Snip"), was chosen for this test. The first experimental landing was successful and also a historic moment. KLM made the first official flight with passengers on May 31, 1936.
American soldiers arrived on Bonaire in the second half of 1943 and their commander stated that a new airport had to be built. In December 1943, construction began in the vicinity of where the airport is today. The new airport, named "Flamingo Airport", was put into use in 1945. This was a big step forward for Bonaire and its aviation. A small terminal was built that was suitable for the number of passengers at the time. This building was used until 1976.
The construction of a new runway began in the last months of 1953 and was completed in 1955. The small terminal had been extended with a terrace where luggage could be delivered. The runway was extended and expanded several times. In 1960, the runway had a length of 1430 meters and a width of 30 meters. Hotels and interested parties on the island continued to push for a further extension of the runway so that charter flights from the United States were able to land here. Those flights were typically operated with McDonnell Douglas DC-8 or Boeing 707 aircraft.
In 1970 the runway was extended to a length of 1750 meters and a width of 30 meters, enough for a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 to land and take-off fully loaded. On June 7, 1974, a public tender for the construction of a new terminal building was made. The building became operational in 1976. Meanwhile, hotels and foreign investors continued to insist that the runway be extended further. This was needed before any more hotels could be built. In 1980 the runway was again extended to 2400 meters long and 45 meters wide, and in October 2000 another extension was carried out, resulting in the current runway length of 2,880 meters to facilitate the largest airliners on intercontinental flights.
The Dutch national carrier, KLM, used the airport to refuel planes en route from Amsterdam to Ecuador and Peru, using MD-11 and Boeing 747 between 1997 and 2011.
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM, TUI Airlines Netherlands and United Airlines are currently the largest airlines that operate scheduled flights to Bonaire. The airport is capable of handling wide-body aircraft up to the Boeing 747, though the largest type to operate to Bonaire currently is the Airbus A330, operated by KLM. The airport is currently a hub for EZAir and once served as a hub for BonaireExel/BonaireExpress, CuracaoExel/Curacao Express, Dutch Antilles Express and KLM. It also serves as a focus city for Divi Divi Air and also served for the aforementioned Dutch Antilles Express prior to ceasing operations, as well as Air ALM, Dutch Caribbean Airlines and Insel Air.
Bonaire's first airport was located near Tra'i Montaña near Subi Blanku and crossed the current road from Kralendijk to Rincon. It was only a landing strip and a shelter. It was built in 1936 and is considered the location of the beginning of aviation on Bonaire.
The construction work for this airport began on September 23, 1935. The intention was to make a longer runway, but it proved impossible to construct more than 475 meters because the eastern portion of the land was very low. Part of the field had to be modified, in particular where aircraft met or left the ground during landing and take-off. This area covered more than 100 metres of the runway, and had to be paved with a mixture of sand and stone.
KLM decided on May 9, 1936, to route-test the first flight to Bonaire from Curaçao. The Oriol (Fokker F-XVIII "Snip"), was chosen for this test. The first experimental landing was successful and also a historic moment. KLM made the first official flight with passengers on May 31, 1936.
American soldiers arrived on Bonaire in the second half of 1943 and their commander stated that a new airport had to be built. In December 1943, construction began in the vicinity of where the airport is today. The new airport, named "Flamingo Airport", was put into use in 1945. This was a big step forward for Bonaire and its aviation. A small terminal was built that was suitable for the number of passengers at the time. This building was used until 1976.
The construction of a new runway began in the last months of 1953 and was completed in 1955. The small terminal had been extended with a terrace where luggage could be delivered. The runway was extended and expanded several times. In 1960, the runway had a length of 1430 meters and a width of 30 meters. Hotels and interested parties on the island continued to push for a further extension of the runway so that charter flights from the United States were able to land here. Those flights were typically operated with McDonnell Douglas DC-8 or Boeing 707 aircraft.
In 1970 the runway was extended to a length of 1750 meters and a width of 30 meters, enough for a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 to land and take-off fully loaded. On June 7, 1974, a public tender for the construction of a new terminal building was made. The building became operational in 1976. Meanwhile, hotels and foreign investors continued to insist that the runway be extended further. This was needed before any more hotels could be built. In 1980 the runway was again extended to 2400 meters long and 45 meters wide, and in October 2000 another extension was carried out, resulting in the current runway length of 2,880 meters to facilitate the largest airliners on intercontinental flights.
The Dutch national carrier, KLM, used the airport to refuel planes en route from Amsterdam to Ecuador and Peru, using MD-11 and Boeing 747 between 1997 and 2011.
IATA Code | BON | ICAO Code | TNCB | FAA Code | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Telephone | +599 717 5600 | Fax | +599 717 5607 | ||
Home page | Hyperlink |
Map - Flamingo International Airport (Flamingo International Airport)
Map
Country - Caribbean_Netherlands
Bonaire (including the islet of Klein Bonaire) is one of the Leeward Antilles and is located close to the coast of Venezuela. Sint Eustatius and Saba are in the main Lesser Antilles group and are located south of Sint Maarten and northwest of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Caribbean Netherlands has a population of 25,157 as of January 2019.
Currency / Language
ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
---|---|---|---|
USD | United States dollar | $ | 2 |
ISO | Language |
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NL | Dutch language |
EN | English language |