Z Air, based in Curaçao, will receive it’s first Embraer ERJ 145, aiming to operate on the most distant destinations in its network and add new routes in the future. A second ERJ is currently undergoing maintenance and painting. In July 2024, the company announced that it would add two Embraer ERJ 140s and open a connection to Medellín/Rionegro (MDE) and St. Marteen (SXM). The current fleet of three Saab 340Bs will focus on the Dutch Caribbean (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao) and Barranquilla (BAQ), Colombia.
This decision came after the cessation of operations of Jetair Caribbean in June 2024, which stopped flying to Jamaica, St. Maarten, Colombia, and Suriname. The ERJ 140, with a capacity for 44 passengers and a range of 3,044 kilometers, will allow Z Air to access the destinations of the defunct airline, such as Jamaica, Haiti, and St. Maarten.
«Exciting times await us as our first Embraer 140 is nearing completion and is being prepared to join Z Air’s fleet! This marks a significant milestone as we prepare to enhance connectivity and service from the ABC islands to the broader region,” the company noted on LinkedIn.
The ERJs will also allow the replacement of the Saab 340Bs, enabling an increase in flights within the Dutch Caribbean after the reduction of airport fees from USD 36 to USD 15, which is expected to boost demand that the current fleet cannot sustain.
The current state of Z Air
Z Air has been modernizing its fleet. In 2021, it acquired three Saab 340B aircraft with a capacity for 34 passengers, used for regular and charter operations in the Caribbean, South America, and Central America. Additionally, it operates two Learjets for air ambulance services.
Currently, Z Air operates flights to Aruba (AUA), Bonaire (BON), Curaçao (CUR), Medellín/Rionegro (MDE), and Barranquilla (BAQ), Colombia, with the following frequencies:
- From Curaçao:
- Aruba: 8-15 flights per week
- Barranquilla: one flight per week
- Bonaire: 24 flights per week
- From Bonaire:
- Barranquilla: one flight per week
- From Aruba:
- Bonaire: 3 flights per week
