Surinam Airways (PY, Paramaribo International) has secured a long-term dry lease of a B737-800 from AerCap, after having relied on wet-leased aircraft since the repossession of its last B737-700 in mid-2021 and the retirement of a troubled B777-200ER.
In a statement on December 9, 2022, Surinam Airways (SLM as commonly called) said the aircraft - currently registered in the United States as N373AE (msn 30730) and owned by AerCap - would be used on regional routes and to Miami International. A demonstration flight took place in Arizona on December 9, whereafter technical matters would be attended to before it could be delivered to Paramaribo International, the airline said.
A photograph accompanying the news release showed the B737-800 was sporting a new SLM livery and bearing the Suriname registration PZ-TCV. It was previously operated by Caribbean Airlines (BW, Port of Spain), the ch-aviation fleets data shows.
Acting Chief Executive Officer Steven Gonesh described the finalisation of the lease as a "very important moment for Surinam Airways after a turbulent period". "Having your own flying equipment and identity onboard is of eminent importance."
For its route to Miami International via Georgetown Cheddi Jagan and triangle flights linking Paramaribo with Aruba and Curaçao, the airline currently wet-leases an A320-200, 9H-EMU (msn 1087), from Airhub Airlines (RE, Malta International). Gonesh earlier told ch-aviation that SLM would also dry-lease an A340-300 for its wide-body fleet as an interim solution before acquiring an A330-200 to serve Amsterdam Schiphol. It currently uses A330-200 9H-PAX (msn 1161), equally wet-leased from Airhub, on its only transatlantic service to the Netherlands.
