ALM (ANTILLEAN AIRLINES, N. V.): Hato International Airport, Curasao, Netherlands Antilles; Phone 599 (9) 338 888; Fax599 (9) 338 300; Http://www. alm-airlines. com; Code LM; Year Founded 1969. This carrier, begun in 1935 as Antillaanse Luchvaart Maatschappij or the West Indian division of KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines, N. V.) , gains its independence in 1969. The government of Netherlands Antilles purchases all but 4% shareholding from the Dutch flag line and renames its new carrier ALM (Antillean Airlines, N. V.).
Ciro Yrauequin is appointed president and begins to actively pursue the tourist trade into his base at Hato International Airport at Cura9ao. The 3 Convair CV-340s obtained as part of the KLM buyout are retired as 2 Fokker F.27-500s join the fleet.
Late in the year, a contract is signed with Overseas National Airways (1) for the provision of services to New York. Airline employment is 677 and enplanements for the year total 266,418.
Direct DC-9-33 service is inaugurated by ONA on behalf of ALM between St. Martin and New York on January 14, 1970.
On January 24, an F.27-500 with 30 passengers en route from Santo Domingo to Cura9ao is captured by 2 men and ordered flown to Havana.
After three missed approaches to St. Martin on May 2, Flight 980, a DC-9-33CF from New York with 6 crew and 57 passengers, is diverted to St. Croix. Out of fuel and caught in a tropical storm, the Douglas crashes into the sea 30 mi. ENE of its destination (23 dead).
On May 12, en route from Santo Domingo to Cura9ao with 33 passengers, an F.27-500 is taken over by 8 heavily armed Dutch revolutionaries and diverted to Cuba.
Passenger boardings rise 8% to 290,128.
In April 1971, the fleet becomes all jet as the Fokkers are replaced by a third DC-9-10 and a DC-8-53, the Saba, leased from KLM. A total of
291,720 travelers are carried this year.
The employee population rises to 768 in 1972. A new cargo building is opened at Cura9ao and an owned DC-6A freighter is placed in service. Passenger boardings grow 6.5% to 312,000.
The carrier enhances its New York service in 1973 with DC-8-63s leased from KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines, N. V.). Bookings zoom upward to 439,920.
Windward Island Airways International, N. V. is purchased in 1974, together with its routes and aircraft.
Enplanements for the year dip to 423,000, a 4% decline.
The workforce in 1975 is now 814. Three DC-9-32s replace the 3 DC-9-10s and, simultaneously, a new corporate livery is unveiled. Longtime Vice President Operations Capt. J. Bak retires.
Freight traffic is up 6% and passenger boardings swell 13% to 370,600.
Four employees retire in 1976. The fleet is increased by the addition of a de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300. A switch over to computerized reservations is completed in late spring. Bookings jump 39.2% to 514,893.
A Boeing 727-100 is employed (on lease) in 1977 to haul U. S. vacationers to the islands. A total of 575,853 passengers are transported on the year.
Airline employment is increased 19.1% in 1978 to 1,077. On November 1, the New York-St. Martin route belonging to KLM (Royal Dutch Airline, N. V.) is acquired and flown by two DC-8-63s leased from the Dutch company. Two Shorts 330s are acquired to launch service from Aruba and Bonaire. Passenger boardings balloon 22.6% to 743,510, but cargo falls off 15.7%.
When the U. S. CAB grants the giant carriers Eastern Air Lines and American Airlines activity on the route, ALM withdraws its New York-St. Martin route in 1979. Simultaneously, the B-727-100 charter operation to the U. S. is closed down (the jetliner is retired), but the Shorts 330s launch Panama City and Maracaibo flights. Also during the year, ALM begins to participate with KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines, N. V.) on the Dutch carrier’s mid-Atlantic routes on a limited pool basis
The third-level subsidiary ABC Commuter Airways, B. V. is formed in 1980 to provide scheduled flights from Cura9ao to Aruba and Benaire with two de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300s. A full cooperative agreement is reached with KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines, N. V.) during 1981 that provides for joint flights between the Netherlands Antilles and Amsterdam. Discussions will continue, off and on, over the next two decades aimed at extending cooperation into other areas.
In 1982-1986, the fleet is revised as all of the DC-8s are returned and 2 new McDonnell Douglas MD-82s are acquired. Service to the U. S. is maintained by the DC-9-32s (passenger) and the DC-6A (freight). Additional international DC-9-32/MD-82 flights serve Caracas, Georgetown, Kingston, Maracaibo, Medellin, and Santo Domingo.
Operations continue apace in 1987-1988, with a third MD-82 arriving on lease from Continental Airlines in April of the latter year. In 1989, the fleet is changed to include 1 Lockheed L-188AF freighter leased from TPI International Airways, 2 Fairchild Hiller FH-227Cs, and 3 MD-82s.
In April, four-times-per-week service is initiated from Miami to Cu-ra9ao (two flights via Aruba and two via Port-au-Prince).
En route from Miami to Cura9ao on May 31, an MD-82 is seized by two assailants claiming to have a bomb and demanding to be flown to Israel. The aircraft diverts to New York (JFK), a gateway for El Al Israel Airlines, Ltd., but after arrival the perpetrators are taken into custody.
In August, twice weekly nonstops are added from Miami to Aruba. With the addition of Tuesday and Wednesday flights, the route to Miami becomes daily in September.
Two de Havilland Canada DHC-8-301s are leased in early 1990 and in February weekly nonstop MD-83 flights begin from New York to Bonaire and Cura9ao. The carrier joins IATA in July and in October nonstop service is launched from Miami to Bonaire.
ABC Commuter Airways, B. V. is merged into its parent during the year and its Twin Otters are replaced by ALM’s two FH-227Cs.
President K. Chung’s carrier continues operations in 1991. In February, thrice-weekly nonstop flights begin from Miami to Bonaire and twice-weekly service is started to Bonaire from New York. Weekly MD-83 service begins from Atlanta to Bonaire and Cura9ao in March and twice-weekly routes are operated to Aruba.
In September, a fourth weekly flight is opened from Atlanta to Aruba and Cura9ao. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, a $24-million order is placed for 2 DHC-8-311s.
In 1992, the fleet includes 2 leased DHC-8-311s, 1 chartered and 2 owned MD-82s, and 1 L-188AF. The DHC-8-311s ordered the previous fall are delivered in May and June.
Airline employment stands at 811 in 1993 and from Cura9ao, flights are made to Aruba, Atlanta, Barcelona, Barquisimento, Bonaire, Caracas, Kingston, Miami, Paramaribo, Port of Spain, Port-au-Prince, Santo Domingo, St. Martin, and Valencia.
In cooperation with ALM Antillean Airlines, twice-weekly service is started by KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines, N. V.) to Havana on March 28; KLM flies the Europe to Cura9ao leg, with ALM providing the flights on to Cuba.
In November, a comprehensive joint marketing and code-sharing agreement is signed with United Airlines, connecting the two carriers at Miami via Cura9ao, Bonaire, and Aruba.
Capt. W. J. Kopra is appointed president in 1994 as another leased MD-82 arrives. Enplanements total 515,380.
In 1995, the L-188AF is returned to its lessor, which in turn passes it to Atlantic Airways, Ltd. in the U. K.
Despite an on-time performance which has fallen to just 56%, passenger boardings ascend to 682,930.
Sunday roundtrip service is inaugurated on April 29, 1996 from Atlanta to Oranjestad, Aruba, with continuing service to Cura9ao and Bonaire. Bookings soar to 801,480.
The fleet in 1997-1998 still includes 3 MD-82s and 4 DHC-8-311s. During these years, a code-sharing agreement is signed with United Airlines. Enplanements reach 831,650 in 1997 and 916,360 a year later. On January 1 of the latter year, the marketing name “Air ALM” is introduced.
Dr. P. Armand Kariembaks becomes president at the beginning of 1999. The UAL pact is renewed during the spring.
The current commercial and operational partnership with KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines, N. V.) for joint operations between the Netherlands Antilles and the Netherlands is terminated on April 1,2000.
On June 16, a new agreement permitting schedule coordination, joint marketing and ticketing, and various other services is signed with Windward Islands Airways International, N. V.
To reduce skyrocketing costs, the airline, beginning on July 1, institutes a new cost-cutting program. Monthly flight hours are boosted for pilots, flight attendants are required to serve more passengers, a fuel surcharge is added, and reduction in force notices are sent to 120 staff.
The company’s pilots, who have not been paid since January, win a suit for the funds against the company, which claims that it will go bankrupt if forced to pay. The Cura9ao judge in the case initially threatens to fine the airline $27,800 per day if it does not, but postpones implementation of his judgment on August 14 following a request to do so from the pilots’ union.
Following a scheduling disagreement, the code-share with SLM (Surinam Airways, N. V.) between Paramaribo and Miami ends on November 2. Miami Air, which had wet-leased B-727-200s to ALM for the route, now transfers them to SLM.
Employing a wet-leased City Bird, S. A. McDonnell Douglas MD-11, the carrier, on December 3, introduces twice-weekly nonstop roundtrips between Cura9ao and Amsterdam.
ALM (ANTILLAANSE LUCHVAART MAATSCHAPPIJ, N. V.): Netherlands Antilles, (1935-1969). In honor of the three hundredth anniversary of the Dutch presence in the Lesser Antilles, the KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines, N. V.) F-XVIII/3m Snip, outfitted with extra fuel tanks, flies Amsterdam-Cura9ao in December 1934. Two more company aircraft are sent to Cura9ao, the F-XVIII/3m Oriol and the F-VIII/3m Duif, with the Snip, they are the nucleus of a new West Indies Division, Antillaanse Luchvaart Matschappij (ALM), formed on January 19, 1935. Simultaneously, scheduled service is opened Cura9ao-Aruba.
On July 1, 1936 F-XVIII/3m flights begin Cura9ao-Maracaibo.
Cura9ao-Caracas service begins on January 19, 1937. American authorities refuse permission for a Miami route. The first Lockheed Model 14H Super Electra is delivered on February 19, 1938 and is christened Parkiet. It is followed into service by the Troepiaal, which arrives on March 9, and the Kolibrie (Hummingbird) and Meeuw(Seagull), which reach the islands on June 22 and July 9, respectively.
Barbados and Port of Spain join the route network on May 6, 1939 and Lockheed 14 Cura9ao-Barranquilla flights are inaugurated on May 16. Service to Paramaribo, Surinam, is started on September 4.
In May 1940, ALM becomes the world’s first operator of the Douglas DC-5. Two of the aircraft that had been ordered for the parent company must, because of the German occupation, be sent to Cura9ao, where they are christened Wakago and Zonvogel. The pair are placed into service on the route from Cura9ao to Surinam via Venezuela. The fleet now comprises 4 L-14s, 3 new L-18 Lodestars, and the older Fokkers.
Lockheed service to Kingston begins on August 19, 1941 with charter flights started to Miami by summer. Later in the year, the Wakago and Zonvogel are returned to California for overhaul and are then transferred to KLM’s East Indies associate KNILM (Koninllijke Neder-landsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij, N. V.).
Lockheed L-14s commence operations to Havana in July 1942. The Super Electra Parkiet crashes at Trinidad on August 22. L-14s and L-18s begin flights Cura9ao-St. Martin on July 27, 1943 and with a temporary American permit, to Miami on August 17 via Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba.
On February 14, 1946, a KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines, N. V.) C-54 flies an Amsterdam-Cura9ao proving flight; weekly service between the two destinations begins on April 10. DC-3s are acquired for the West Indies Division in 1947 and Cura9ao to Havana via Ciudad Trujillo, Port-au-Prince, and Kingston flights start on April 20.
Withdrawn from service, the Super Electra Troepiaal is broken up at Cura9ao in July 1948 while the L-14H Kolibrie is disposed of in August by simply being thrown into the sea.
Cura9ao-Panama service is inaugurated on January 3, 1949. The Meeuw is dumped into the sea in August.
Managua and San Salvador join the route network on May 5, 1951 and new Convair CV-340s, led by the Saba, are delivered in 1954. Operations continue apace during the remainder of the 1950s and into the 1960s.
On August 1, 1964 the West Indies Division is reformed into the wholly owned subsidiary Antilliaanse Luchtvaart Maatschappij, N. V. (ALM) , its service aimed primarily at the transport of business passengers, especially those of Royal Dutch Shell.
Operations are undertaken with 3 CV-340s over the regional route network to Kingston, Managua, San Salvador, Havana, Ciudad Trujillo, and Port-au-Prince. Late in the year, ALM and Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij, N. V. (SLM) begin pooled West Indian service.
Enplanements total 115,000, the workforce is 429, and revenues of $1.7 million are earned.
In 1967 orders are placed for 2 Fokker F.27-500s and 2 Douglas DC-9-10s. A total of 153,800 passengers are carried on the year.
Airline employment in 1968 is 619. The fleet now comprises 2 DC-9-10s, 3 CV-340s, and 1 Beech B-80. Passenger boardings soar 37% to 311,300, and revenues exceed $3 million.
The carrier gains its independence of the Dutch flag line in 1969 as the government of Netherlands Antilles purchases all but 4% shareholding and renames its new company ALM (Antillean Airlines, N. V.).
World History
