St. Maarten’s WINAIR Bolsters Caribbean Presence After Clearing $4.5 Million Pandemic Loan

WINAIR, the airline based in St. Maarten, made the final payment on the $4.5 million loan that it had received from the Dutch government in 2021 to cope with the pandemic’s effects on the industry. As a result, the airline is now debt-free.

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The company indicated that thanks to what they defined as » careful utilization of the loan,» they were not only able to properly manage the debt but also to strengthen financially and rebuild their operations, thus establishing themselves as a «testament to stability» and ready for healthy growth in the Caribbean market.

«We extend our deepest appreciation to the Dutch and St. Maarten Government for their unwavering support during a time of uncertainty,» said Hans van de Velde, CEO of WINAIR.

«This pivotal assistance not only assisted WINAIR in overcoming the hurdles posed by the pandemic but also enabled us to cultivate a stronger and more resilient organizational framework,» he added.

WINAIR also highlighted that part of the loan agreement was to maintain a minimum of two flights to Saba and Statia, which was not only met but expanded to up to four daily flights.

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This year WINAIR reached a milestone by incorporating its first two ATR 42-500s to be deployed on its highest demand routes such as those connecting St. Maarten, Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire.

In addition to the two ATR 42-500s, WINAIR also operates a fleet of four De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otters.

Its network covers 12 Caribbean destinations, operating an average of 500 weekly flights with an offering of 12,000 seats, according to information obtained through Cirium.