Queen Beatrix International Airport

Updated on Dec 11, 2024

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Airport type Public Elevation AMSL 60 ft / 18 m Address Oranjestad, Aruba Elevation 18 m		Location Oranjestad, Aruba Website airportaruba.com Code AUA Phone +297 524 2424

Owner Aruba Airport Authority N.V. Hub for Aruba AirlinesInsel Air Aruba Similar Avianca, aserca airline, US Airways, Budget Rent a Car, Aruba Car Rental

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Queen Beatrix International Airport (IATA: AUA, ICAO: TNCA) (Dutch: Internationale luchthaven Koningin Beatrix; Papiamento: Aeropuerto Internacional Reina Beatrix), is an international airport located in Oranjestad, Aruba. It has flight services to the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, most countries in the Caribbean, the northern coastal countries of South America, Canada, and some parts of Europe, notably the Netherlands. It is named after Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, the now-retired Queen and former head of state of Aruba.

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Overview

The airport offers US Border Pre-clearance facilities. A terminal for private aircraft opened in 2007. This airport used to serve as the hub for bankrupt airline Air Aruba, which was for many years an international airline. Before Aruba's separation from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 it was also one of three hubs for Air ALM.

World War II

During World War II the airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces Sixth Air Force defending Caribbean shipping and the Panama Canal against German submarines. Flying units assigned to the airfield were:

59th Bombardment Squadron (9th Bombardment Group) 14 January-24 September 1942 (A-20 Havoc)

12th Bombardment Squadron (25th Bombardment Group) 10 October 1942 – 23 November 1943 (B-18 Bolo)

22d Fighter Squadron (36th Fighter Group) 2 September 1942 – April 1943 (P-40 Warhawk)

32d Fighter Squadron (Antilles Air Command) 9 March 1943 – March 1944 (P-40 Warhawk)

Passenger

Notes

^1 KLM's flights operate to and from Bonaire on selected days. However, the airline does not have fifth freedom rights to transport passengers solely between Aruba and Bonaire.

^2 PAWA Dominicana's flights operate to and from Curacao. However, the airline does not have fifth freedom rights to transport passengers solely between Aruba and Curacao.

^3 TUI Airlines Netherlands's flights operate between Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao on selected days. However, the airline does not have fifth freedom rights to transport passengers solely between Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.

^4 Beginning 4 April 2017, United's selected flights from Houston to Aruba will continue on to Caracas. However, the airline does not have fifth freedom rights to transport passengers solely between Aruba and Caracas.

Accidents and incidents

On January 13, 2010, an Arkefly Boeing 767-300 with the registration of PH-AHQ, was operating on flight 361 from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Queen Beatrix International Airport declared an emergency after a man who claimed to have a bomb on board ensued a struggle with the flight crew, the aircraft made an emergency Landing at Shannon Airport. Gardaí stormed the plane and arrested the man, where he was taken to Shannon Garda station. A passenger having had surgery earlier the month before collapsed in the terminal while waiting for the continuation of the flight and had to be taken to a local hospital. The replacement aircraft PH-AHY also a Boeing 767-300 continued the flight to Aruba.

References

Queen Beatrix International Airport Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA