There will soon be a new airline in Curaçao called Dutch Caribbean Islandhopper (DCI). According to the initiator, it is a “unique Caribbean airline” for the Dutch Caribbean islands based at Curaçao airport.
“The main aim of this airline is to efficiently connect the various Caribbean communities, thereby ensuring the free movement of people, products, and inspiring ideas,” its director Steven Chin-A-Kwie says (41). He wants DCI to expand its network in the Caribbean and Latin America in order to “connect our families and encourage new tourism products.” He also believes that his company’s “DNA” is fundamentally distinct from that of other Caribbean airlines.
“We can present ourselves in a distinctive manner by offering a diverse range of new and adventurous products to both locals and tourists. Similarly, we have the opportunity to launch new services for the government as well as various non-governmental organizations (NGOs),” he says.
He continues, saying: “Whereas most airlines’ focus is on expanding to larger aircraft, we at DCI have deliberately chosen the opposite path. The ‘brand promise’ of DCI is sustainability, comfort, efficiency, flexibility, high frequency, and direct service between the region’s various communities.”
DCI currently operates a fleet of seven aircraft. More aircraft will be added to the operating fleet in January 2022, depending on future developments surrounding Covid-19. “Our aircraft can operate efficiently in the Caribbean, and we have a number of new destinations in Latin America.”
DCI is expected to complete ‘Air Operator Certification’ with the Curaçao Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA) in early 2022, with commercial operations set to begin on March 15, 2022.