Divi Divi Air
 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Founded | 2001 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | 2002 | ||||||
| Hubs | Curaçao International Airport | ||||||
| Secondary hubs | Flamingo International Airport serving Kralendijk, Bonaire | ||||||
| Fleet size | 6 | ||||||
| Destinations | 3 | ||||||
| Parent company | Bai Bini Air Tours N.V. | ||||||
| Headquarters | Curaçao | ||||||
| Key people | Germaine N.F. Richie-Durand (CEO), Danielle Durand | ||||||
| Website | http://www.flydivi.com | ||||||
Divi Divi Air N.V. is a small regional service airline in Curaçao. It was established in 2001 and is based in Curaçao.[1] In the area its nickname is "Divi".[2] The airline is named for the Divi-divi tree which grows in the region.
History
Divi Divi Air was founded on July 28th, 2000 and commenced operations in 2001 with a fleet of Britten-Norman BN-2P Islanders to Bonaire. For over 17 years Divi Divi Air has been a household name on the route between Curaçao and Bonaire. The locals on the islands characterize the airline by its small scale, personal attention and particularly high punctuality. Although the aviation company run by the Richie family has concentrated almost entirely on maintaining the route between Bonaire and Curaçao in the first 17 years, Aruba was added in February 2018.[3] According to director Germaine Richie-Durand, the intention is to improve the connection between Bonaire and Aruba. "Divi wants to bring the population of the three islands closer together," says Richie-Durand. According to the Divi director, the Twin Otter will gradually be deployed more broadly on the routes of islands.[3]
Divi Divi Air began flights out of Curaçao to Aruba on February 15, 2018. This was followed by the launch of operations to Aruba out of Bonaire on February 17, 2018. The expansion signals that Divi Divi Air has now joined Aruba Airlines and Insel Air as the only known airlines connecting the Dutch Caribbean's ABC islands.
The Curaçaoan airline operates the Curaçao-Aruba service at least two times daily, the Curaçao-Bonaire service approximately ten times daily, while the flights out of Bonaire to Aruba are scheduled as one time weekly. All flights will be operated with Twin Otter and the Britten-Norman Islander, as Divi Divi Air strives to be an efficient and reliable airline for all the travel needs of people traveling between Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.[4]
In October 2018, it was announced that Divi Divi Air, in collaboration with Corendon Dutch Airlines and the Curaçao Tourism Board, would commence flights to Sint Maarten and Brazil for the winter season. Corendon will station a Boeing 737-800 in Curaçao as part of a plan to make some of its fleet available for charter flights or on behalf of third parties during the quieter winter season in Europe. The aircraft will also be used to execute flights to Aruba.[5][6]
In April of 2020, it was announced that Divi Divi Air welcomed its third Britten-Norman BN-2P Islanders into the family. Also, a special 'iguana Divi' livery was unveiled. This special livery is painted on their new Twin Otter. [7]
Destinations
| Hub | |
| Focus city | |
| Future destination | |
| Seasonal | |
| Charter |
| City | Country | IATA | ICAO | Airport | Refs/notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oranjestad |  Aruba
|
AUA | TNCA | Queen Beatrix International Airport | |
| Kralendijk |  Caribbean Netherlands
|
BON | TNCB | Flamingo International Airport | |
| Willemstad |  Curaçao
|
CUR | TNCC | Hato International Airport | |
| Philipsburg |  Sint Maarten
|
SXM | TNCM | Princess Juliana International Airport | Operated by Fly All Ways |
Fleet
Current fleet
As of April 2020, the Divi Divi Air passenger fleet consists of the following aircraft:[8]
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Refs/notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Britten-Norman BN-2P Islander | 3 | - | 9 | |
| De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | 3 | 1 | 19 | |
| Total | 7 | - | ||
As of April 2020, the Divi Divi Air private fleet consists of the following aircraft:
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Refs/notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna 172P | 1 | - | 3 | Used for pilot training, sightseeing and speedmail |
| Piper PA-32R | 1 | - | 5 | Used for cargo and charter flights |
| Total | 2 | 0 | ||
Former fleet
Over the years, Divi Divi Air has operated the following aircraft types:
| Aircraft | Total | Passengers | Refs/notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Britten-Norman BN-2P Islander | 1 | 9 | Ditched in 2009 |
| Cessna 402B [5] | 1 | 7 | Disassembled |
| Dornier 228 [6] | 1 | 19 | Sold |
| Total | 3 | ||
Accidents
On October 22, 2009, a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander operating as Divi Divi Air Flight 014 suffered an engine failure and ditched five minutes flying time away from Bonaire. The pilot was knocked unconscious on impact; his passengers could not undo his safety harness and he went down with the aircraft, but rescue boats picked up all nine passengers.[9][10]
Virtual Airline for flight simulation
Since August 2020, Fly Divi Divi has an unofficial virtual airline. A virtual airline mimics a real airline in flight simulation games. Take a look at the website: http://www.flydivi-va.com
References
- ^ Divi Divi Air
- ^ "About Us." Divi Divi Air. Retrieved on October 26, 2009.
- ^ a b [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/9639111
- ^ "Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)". Airliner World. October 2019: 12.
- ^ Kelly, John (October 25, 2009). "Hero pilot Robert Mansell dies after saving lives of his passengers". Mirror. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
- ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Britten-Norman BN-2A-26 Islander PJ-SUN Bonaire-Flamingo International Airport (BON)". Aviation Safety Network. 2009-12-07. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
