WILLEMSTAD/ PHILIPSBURG – Z Air’s flights to St. Maarten using its recently introduced Embraer 140 aircraft will officially launch on July 14. The airline will begin with a soft start, operating three round-trip flights per week.
Once a second Embraer aircraft enters service, the airline plans to increase frequency to daily flights within a few weeks. The initial schedule includes departures from Curaçao on Mondays and Wednesdays at 8:15 AM, arriving in St. Maarten around 9:30 AM. Return flights leave St. Maarten at 10:45 AM, landing back in Curaçao by noon. On Fridays, the flight will operate in the afternoon.
Z Air director René Winkel noted that considerable work preceded the launch of these flights. “We first focused on certifying the aircraft, training the technical team, and then the pilots and cabin crew. The entire process has taken several months,” he explained. After launching service to St. Maarten, the airline also plans to start scheduled flights to Medellín, Colombia.
Faster travel
Winkel believes Z Air’s Embraer jets offer a competitive edge due to their higher speed compared to other aircraft currently serving the route. “We’re talking about nearly an hour of time saved per flight. That adds up. We get passengers to St. Maarten and back more quickly. Time is money—for us and our passengers,” he said.
There is high anticipation for the new Z Air flights. Since the demise of JetAir, there has been a frequent shortage of seat capacity on the Curaçao–St. Maarten route.
