The website of Aruba Airport Authority N.V., www.airportaruba.com, has received its 1 millionth visitor! A large part of this high number is related to people that use the airport as passengers or meeters and greeters and wish to check online if their, flights are on time or have a slight delay.

Besides the flight information that is updated constantly, one can obtain general information about the airport, information on the current security regulations, information on the restaurants and shops available at the airport, vacancies and tender information.

Many local students also use the website to accumulate valuable information on Queen Beatrix International Airport for use in various school projects.

Up until now, the daily flight schedule displayed only information on the flights of the day that you visit the website. But in the near future, you will also be able to see information on flights of the days ahead. This unique feature will benefit all of those travellers that plan ahead on their trips.

AAA N.V. invites you too to visit and use the website to stay up to date with what happens at the airport and also to check if our flight is on time or delayed prior to using the airport to travel.

Dimensione Turismo, an Italian based company and the Aruba government signed an agreement for direct weekly charter flights from Milan. Scheduled to begin in October 2008 until May 2009, they will use an Airbus 330 with a capacity of 297 seats.

The Queen Beatrix International Airport has seen continued double digit percentage traffic growth and revenue generating passenger (RGP) figures on a monthly basis during this first quarter of 2008. March 2008 was AAA’s busiest RGP month ever, with the previous record holding month dating as far back as April 2000. USA/Canada, Antilles, Europe and Latin America grew when compared to first quarter 2007. North America continues to see passenger growth and higher occupancies per flight. Seasonal service from Canada, both Toronto and Montreal have been strong and will resume next winter. AAA’s key focus for North America will be to maintain current air service levels for 2008 and 2009.

AAA N.V. is proud to announce that now KLM and Martinair passengers can use the Common Use Self Service (CUSS) check-in kiosks to check in and print their own boarding passes.

AAA N.V.’s CUSS program is open to all airlines whose check in software is compatible with AAA N.V.’s CUSS kiosks. KLM and Martinair are the first that have signed up and AAA has placed four CUSS check-in kiosks in the Non-US check-in area. AAA N.V. expects to install similar kiosks in the US Check-in area as well. Several major US airlines are very interested to offer their passengers this service. When the first US airline will sign up, AAA N.V. will start a pilot with a limited number of hotels, placing these Self Service Check-In kiosks in the lobbies of these hotels, improving the airport product upon departure and reducing queuing time at the airport.

The start screen shows the logos of all participating airlines. The passenger selects his airline on the touch screen to start the check-in software of that airline. He then identifies himself with a passport or credit card and performs the check-in. After printing his boarding pass, he can proceed to a baggage drop-off point where his boarding pass is scanned and the required number of baggage tags is printed and attached to the luggage.

Although many airports and airlines all over the world have implemented self service check-in kiosks, Aruba’s airport is the first airport in the Caribbean to have this service.

AAA N.V. trusts that this new check-in point will further upgrade AAA N.V.’s service to the airport users and reduce the waiting lines for the check-in counters during peak times!

When the new Aruba 2000, Reina Beatrix Airport finally opened - it got delayed when under construction, budgets for beautification and interior design ran dry.

Critics of the project complained it was spacious and modern but cold and industrial.  That was then, circa the year 2000. Fast forward to April 2004, when the Aruba Airport Authority entered into a Strategic Co-operation Agreement with Schiphol International, which is the division responsible for the international activities of the Schiphol Group, owners and managers of amongst others Amsterdam’s mega famed facility.

After a period of planning and construction, at the end of 2007, the updated and improved Reina Beatrix airport inaugurated its heart, a stylish and contemporary customer and retail project with improved restaurants and redesigned retail areas, a nicely decorated arrival hall with free use of baggage carts, and many other terrific features, under the management of the dynamic Peter Steinmetz.

Steinmetz was at the helm of the renovations as well, engaging local designer Claudia Ruiz Vasquez to come up with fine detail and custom furnishings and naturally, a tropical, relaxing color scheme.

Their creative collaboration resulted in commercial retail upgrading with 11 food & beverage outlets and 2245m2 of space inside; landscaping, improved parking facility, signage, and automated parking attendants, outside.

The swanky new terminal for General Aviation also opened a few months earlier, but you only get to see it, if you are privileged to fly a private plane.

The airport now offers passengers a wide variety of shops and food & beverage locations. Among shops Dufry’s duty free liquor, tobacco, perfume and cosmetic emporiums, Delicatessen, bookstores, souvenir shops and an inviting store for sunglasses and luggage. The main concession area delivers first class meeting places, a full service bar with apron-landing-strip-scape, a sushi restaurant, a gourmet coffee stand, Cinnabon, an ice-cream parlor, Sbarro Pizza as well as a huge chocolate boutique.

There are also shops available within the US bound gate area and some shopping within the non-US bound departure gate area.

As the first plane landed here in July 24, 1925, a Hydro-aircraft IDOR, touching ground in the Paardenbaai harbor of Oranjestad, the former Lt. Governor Mr. H.E.G. Wagemaker of Aruba presented the initial plans for the construction of an airport for the island by 1933. In December 1934, the first tri-engine Fokker aircraft SNIP, landed in the vicinity of today’s airport and regular flights between Aruba and Curaçao started in 1935, with a record of 2659 passengers transported that year.

Passengers nowadays go to the airport early to finish their shopping, they used to complain there was nothing to do, nothing to eat, now you can shop, nosh, eat, browse your computer, watch TV, and soon, automated check in kiosks would come on-line making the whole process faster. And the US & Aruban security checks will be integrated, and a VIP lounge made available at a small charge, stand by, for an even more efficient experience at Reina Beatrix Airport.

Story submitted by Rona Coster

Colorful polo shirts embroidered with the Network Latin America 2008 logo, proudly hosted by Aruba Airport Authority N.V. (AAA), Aruba definitely made a good impression in San Diego last week during Network USA. Special mention was made during the conference by Mark Pilling, editor Airline Business, encouraging airline planners and airport representatives to attend the conference in Aruba December 7 – 9, 2008.

Aruba Tourism Authority joined AAA and together they manned a booth and held several one-on-one meetings. Events like these are an important element in airport marketing as opportunities for additional flights and new routes can be discussed during the short meetings and follow up given via mail, telephone or a corporate visit to the respective airline’s head quarters.

It is through Network USA in 2006 and 2007 that Jetblue service to Aruba from New York and Boston respectively was solidified. “There are two (2) industry shows that are attended yearly by AAA, Network and Routes” said Peter Steinmetz, Managing Director AAA, “the importance of these shows reflects in the strong business relationships we have with our airline partners making it easier to react to opportunities and changes as they occur’.

The attached pictures give an indication of the meeting conference room and the banner indicating Network Latin America in Aruba this coming December. In the picture Mark Pilling, Editor Airline Business, proudly downing his polo short together with Peggy Croes, Head Airline Marketing AAA and Geraldine Coutinho-Meyers, Director ATA North America and Zena Neme, Regional Sales Representative ATA

More airlift, more seats to Aruba in summer 2008.Additional air service for summer 2008 has been announced. Delta Airlines is adding additional service from Atlanta with an overnight flight on Fridays and Saturdays June 14, 2008 through August 17, 2008. This brings Delta’s schedule up to 9 weekly flights from Atlanta and 2 weekly flights from New York’s JFK this summer. More importantly, the overnight flight provides for improved connections to destinations beyond Atlanta.

Spirit Airlines is furthermore increasing service to twice weekly during the period of May 1, 2008 through September 1, 2008 from Fort Lauderdale to Aruba on Wednesdays.

The demand for Aruba is increasing from Europe as well and Arkefly will add service to Aruba from Amsterdam on Wednesdays as of June 25, 2008, thus three weekly flights.

The Aruba Airport Authority is anticipating several charter frequency requests during the period of July and August, the typical summer holiday travel in view of the strong growth from Latin America in 2007.

Pullmantur Cruises will be using a bigger ship for their turn around as of March 2008, due to an increase in demand. The ship is the former Empress of the Seas from the Royal Caribbean and it will be named ‘Empress’. The ship will arrive to Aruba on March 21st and will do its first sailing on March 22nd. The ship holds a maximum capacity of 1400 passengers. Turn Around will remain in Aruba and in Isla Margarita. Pullmantur will be doing their embarking and disembarking in Aruba until May and will return in November again for their weekly turn around. For more information please call (297) 583-3648 or visit www.arubabycruise.com.

Minister of Tourism, Mr. Edison Briesen commends AAA and its business partners

On Friday February 15, 2008 in the presence of representatives of airlines, concessionaires and other business partners of Aruba Airport Authority N.V., the Minister of Tourism officially handed over to AAA’s Managing Director Mr. Peter Steinmetz the state decree extending AAA’s concession with ten more years.

The state decree gives AAA N.V. the exclusive right to manage and operate the Queen Beatrix International Airport. AAA was originally appointed as general concessionaire at the time the former government department that operated the airport was transformed into a separate legal entity back in 1997. The original concession term of twenty years has now been prolonged with another ten years until December 31, 2026.

The minister of Tourism and Transportation said “that many changes to the better were implemented in the last four years. By extending the concession we show our trust and confidence in the Aruba Airport Authority N.V. and its business partners”.

Managing Director, Peter Steinmetz said “that the extension is a very welcome support to continue on the chosen path and that it will further ensure investors and other stakeholders that AAA will be their business partner for many more years ahead.”

Double digit percentage traffic growth and the highest quarterly revenue generating passengers (RGP) figures in the last seven (7) years, simply put, Queen Beatrix International Airport made history in 2007. Both Passenger and aircraft movements were up compared to fourth quarter 2006 by 19.9% and 26% respectively. Passenger RGP figures for October, November and December were 16.4%, 18.3% and 24.6% higher than the same months in 2006. Cumulative PGP passenger figures have been the highest they have ever been during the last seven years during October, November and December of 2007 punching in at 739,806, 815,958 and 902,874 tanslating into a record 11.7% year end 2007 increase over 2006.

As with passenger figures, monthly aircraft movements during the final quarter of 2007 hit record highs. October, November and December showed a 15%, 18.4% and 36.5% growth over the same months in 2006. Total aircraft movements increased with 8.1% to 35774 for 2007 compared to 2006.
All main tourism markets have shown an increase during the forth and final quarter of 2007 compared to 2006. Latin America, that struggled during the first 6 months of the year bounced back with a vengance at a 77% increase over fourth quarter 2006, December showed an astounding 109.7% increase. The majority of the growth in Latin America came from Venezuela with the incentive to obtain US currency being a major influence on the huge increase. North America, the Netherlands Antilles and Europe showed quarterly results at 8.5%, 19.7% and 21.7% respectively.

North America has seen additional scheduled service from Boston and Washington, Dulles with higher aircraft yields overall and destination branding efforts continuing to increase the passenger flow traffic. Spirit Airlines launched November 10, 2007 from Fort Lauderdale and Vacances Sunquest launched scheduled charter service from Montreal to Aruba on December 21, 2007. From the European market we have seen the increase of Martinair service to twice weekly from Amsterdam. In Latin America, Aserca and Avior have added service and major charter frequencies from Venezuela. In addition, AAA welcomed Venezolana Airlines from Maracaibo as a new airline partner servicing Aruba twice daily from Caracas and Maracaibo.

“Our hard work and the commitment of our entire team have led to these fantastic quarterly and year end figures” a proud Peter Steinmetz, Managing Director Aruba Airport Authority N.V., said. “Our dedicated team made it happen and we look forward to a strong 2008 together with our partners Aruba Tourism Authority and the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association. 2008 will see us focusing our efforts on maintaining air service and targetting specific air service potential areas. Fuel prices, airline merger speculations, US economic resession potential and presidential elections, the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing and the European Soccer Championship will have effects on tourism. However, we are confident that 2008 will be a strong year for Aruba and we are happy to contribute to the welfare of the destination.”

ARUBA welcomed Spirit Airlines Non-stop Service to Aruba on Saturday November 10, 2007. Every Saturday, vacationers will depart Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport at 11:00 a.m. to arrive at Aruba’s Queen Beatrix International Airport at 3:05 p.m., meaning jetsetters can enjoy the afternoon watching Aruba’s unforgettable sunset. Saturday return flights will leave Aruba at 3:55 p.m. giving travelers the entire morning to enjoy a little oceanfront R&R before touching down in Fort Lauderdale at 6:00 p.m.

AAA N.V. has been nominated for Global Airport Marketing Award 2007 for the second consecutive year by Official Airline Guide (OAG). This nomination is in the category of fewer than 5 million passengers per year. The ceremony was held during the 13th Annual World Route Development Forum in Stockholm, Sweden. The Global Airport Marketing Award nomination for AAA important are for two reasons: first, airlines get to nominate the airport that made a real difference to their own network planning activity over the last 12 months and second, AAA has been nominated in the toughest category, approximately 950 airports competing in this category and only 5 get nominated.

For more information please contact A.A.A. N.V. at (297) 524-2424.