Flight connections

As flight connections between the islands of the former Netherlands Antilles become more cumbersome, many are scratching their heads about the next move. With Insel Air in bankruptcy protection chances are that one of the major airlines to serve the connection between St. Maarten and Curacao and Aruba will disappear. And then what?

We figure that government departments will have to invest in video conferencing equipment. That will at least give them cheap options to stay in touch.

But what about all the other inter-island travel? Without reasonable flight connections – asking for something perfect seems a bit much at this stage – the economies on all islands will surely suffer.

The multi-million dollar question is how much these flight connections are really worth. Is it wise to pump tax payers’ money into an airline like Insel Air that seems not to be sustainable? It feels like a financial black hole of uncertain dimensions.

Usually this type of state support ends badly – with the unavoidable bankruptcy. Letting the airline disappear and hope that somebody with too much money will fill the void feels a bit like gambling with the island economies.

It would not surprise us if Curacao knocked on St. Maarten’s door to pitch in for an all-out effort to save Insel Air. After all, St. Maarten needs those flight connections as badly as Curacao does.

Ideas, anyone?