Bonaire International Airport, also known as Flamingo International Airport, is the Netherlands third-largest airport. Located 3.5km from Kralendijk, the capital city of Bonaire Island in the Netherlands Antilles, it was officially opened in 1936. Airlines operating from the airport include Arkefly, Continental, Delta Air Lines, Divi Divi Air, Dutch Antilles Express, EZAir, Insel Air, KLM and Tiara Air.
Bonaire handled 4.62 million passengers, 20,001 aircraft movements and 622t of cargo in 2010.
Recommended White Papers
Recommended Buyers Guides
A €15m ($20) runway renovation project began in February 2011 and will be completed by July 2011.
Bonaire terminal features
Bonaire airport has a single terminal with three gates. The arrival and departure halls are located at the ground floor and restaurants, and the souvenir, perfume and off-licence outlets are situated in the departure hall. The public area at the terminal has ATMs, a smoking area and vending machines. The terminal also has a VIP lounge.
A number of car rental company offices are located at the terminal and the airport has six aircraft stands.
Check-in system
In 2008, Bonaire International Airport started using SITA’s Common Use Terminal Equipment system, which allows all airlines operating at the airport to use each of the 12 check-in counters. With the old system, each airline used only one dedicated check-in counter, which was not flexible in increasing the processing capacity of passengers.
In December 2008, the airport introduced service tax to the airport’s departing passengers.
Runway
Bonaire airport has a single runway (10/28), which is 2,880m long and 45m wide. The runway is asphalt.
A €15m ($20m) runway renovation at the airport began on 13 February 2011 and is sponsored by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment.
The renovation includes renewing the runway and the installation of new lighting and approach boards. It also includes installation of a new fire-fighting approach to the runway, a new electrical and control system at the tower, fencing and the construction of new fire station. The project was completed in July 2011.
The renovation contract was awarded to Janssen de Jong Caribbean and Bonaire Road Construction Company.
Maintenance facilities
Valero Bonaire Fuels provides round-the-clock Jet A1 fuel at Bonaire airport. Fuel-storage facilities include two tanks with an on-site capacity of 630,000 gallons each. Valero delivers fuel from the Aruba oil refinery. It has two refueller trucks with capacities of 15,000 gallons and 10,000 gallons.
The airport has on-site emergency equipment including one rapid-intervention unit and four crashtenders. It is also equipped with fire category 9 equipment.
There are two main ramps at the airport. The smaller ramp consists of PP1, PP2, PP3 and PP4 aircraft parking places, and is used by smaller aircraft. The larger ramp has PP5 and PP6 parking spots, and is used by wide bodied aircraft.
Bonaire ground handlers
Three local ground handlers – Air Handling Service Bonaire, Bonaire Air Services and Progressive Air Services – operate at Bonaire airport.
Parking
The airport has 148 short-term and 60 long-term parking spaces. A $2.1m renovation of the parking area was undertaken in May 2008, including the installation of an automatic parking system, security cameras, lighting, landscaping and paving.
