InselAir Aruba (Aruba) is to undergo partial recertification after an audit conducted by the Dutch aviation regulator (Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport - ILT) revealed two findings in the carrier's administration - one concerns procedural matters in the training department while the other is in quality control. No issues were reported at the carrier's InselAir (Curacao) sister carrier.
In a statement issued last week, Insel Air said additional audits at its Aruban unit are to be carried out in the near future so as to complete its inspection and return the carrier to service.
Given the circumstances, Insel Air has begun transferring Aruban-registered aircraft to that of Curacao where the added capacity is being used to stabilize the carrier's network. As previously reported, Insel Air was forced to wet-lease in a variety of equipment from carriers such as Estelar Latinoamerica, Swift Air (United States of America), Fly All Ways Airlines, and Dominican Wings to cover its own capacity shortfalls as a result of the ILT's audits.
Meanwhile, The Daily Herald reports that Venezuela's Aserca Airlines (Caracas Simón Bolivar) and Colombia's Avianca (Bogotá) have already approached Aruba's Minister of Transportation, Mike de Meza, over the possibility of taking over some of Insel Air Aruba's routes for the duration of its downtime.
The Dutch government has indicated it wants to discuss such possibilities with both the Curaçaon and Aruban governments in particular the roles that KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL, Amsterdam Schiphol) or other Dutch airlines can play in maintaining regular flights between Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.
