Over the past few months Insel Air was the butt of all jokes, and the source of much aggravation, as it earned the Cancel Air nickname. But jokes aside the sister companies, Insel Air Curacao and Insel Air Aruba inconvenienced a multitude of people. One of my girlfriends decided to travel from St Maartin to Aruba in honor of her 40th birthday, and after many hours of delays at two airports, she scrapped the plan: “It was a nightmare! Delayed flights and then being waitlisted to not making it on the flight the next day. I would have spent my whole bday at the airport so my boyfriend decided to turn back. We got back flying credit for future travel. So we have to plan another trip. I was very disappointed, not the 40th bday I expected to spend :(.”
I called the former Aruban airline boss Frederick Nuboer, on Monday, tomorrow is my last day, he said, I am leaving Insel Air going back to my tax practice, to resume my consultant role with an office on the main street, best of all Insel Air is going to remain one of my client.
So what happened here, I asked.
Venezuela happened, among other things. Our giant cash strapped neighbor owes Insel Air Aruba Awg 29 million, and Insel Air Curacao Awg 68 million, for tickets bought and paid for in Venezuela. Yet the money is stuck, Venezuela has been withholding funds belonging to international carriers; the last time I checked they were holding more than $5 billion hostage, resulting in the suspension of most airline operations.
So the airline is restructuring with the help of a much needed loan from the government of Curacao, to the tune of Awg 33 million. The bail-out money will tide the company over while it come up with plan B. Part of the that is a new CEO for the Aruba operation, Stephan Van Spaandonk, a man with an airline maintenance background.
With the creation of the Aruba hub, a few years ago, the company set out to service 16 destinations, operating both a regional island-hopping carrier and an international airline offering medium-length trips. It was a great plan but the universe did not collaborate, and strategic realignment is called for.
Is it true you did not have enough pilots to operate the routes you offered, I asked? Nuboer explained that indeed there is a shortage of pilots around the globe with the large global carriers gobbling up the available one. Aruba faces a special challenge because flight school awards a certification, not a degree, thus the local ministry of education doesn’t recognize it as higher-education, which is eligible for student loans. You may study Airline Management as a university degree and receive a government study loan and then, earn your pilot license on the side, without financial aid. Which is a challenge, in need of evaluation.
Will your kids go into aviation, I asked. My son is an avid photographer, he will be leaving for Colombia shortly to film and photograph birds; my daughter might take after her mom and become a medical professional.
So, if you need an independent firm specializing in tax law, Nuboer Inc., on Caya Betico Croes 158, might be just what you need.
