Airport operations back
to normal, lights working
AIRPORT--As night fell Wednesday, aeroplanes were once again touching down and taking off at Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) after night flights were suspended Saturday due to a damaged cable.
Airport management informed the airlines about the resumption of night operations and expected the normal schedules to restart at the North-eastern Caribbean’s second busiest airport.
Hundreds of passengers and close to 25 flights were affected by the night closure. Flights on Saturday and Sunday nights were diverted to other airports in the region.
Affected for the past four nights were the incoming and outgoing American Eagle flights from Puerto Rico, according to Arrindell Aviation Services.
Royal Dutch Airlines KLM was severely affected Sunday night when passengers already on board had to disembark and accommodations were found for some, while others opted to sleep in the terminal building.
Air Transat passengers heading to St. Maarten from Toronto had to endure a 41-hour delay when their aeroplane was detoured to Antigua Saturday night. However, no rooms were available there so the flight was sent to Margarita Island off Venezuela where they spent the night.
The flight was scheduled to leave Sunday morning, but other delays kept the flight on the ground until evening as PJIA had already ceased night operations. To try and continue the flight, Air Transat returned to Toronto and headed to St. Maarten Monday morning.
