Bonaire International Airport (also known as Flamingo Airport)
Bonaire's flamingo-pink colored airport is officially known as Bonaire International Airport, but locals commonly call it Flamingo Airport. Although small, Flamingo Airport offers nearly all the amenities of larger, international airports.
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Image courtesy of Jake Richter, © 2010 |
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The airport is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Taxis are available just outside the arrival area, while several vehicle rental companies are located on site. Additional rental companies offer shuttles to their offices.
Both short-term and long-term parking is available close to the terminal. The exit is automated, so those parking must pay their parking fees prior to leaving the terminal. The machines are located in the main terminal area just outside the arrivals hall. Input your parking ticket, and the display will show how much is owed in US dollars. Input your money (only US dollar coins of 0.25 and 1.00) or small denomination bills--$1, $5, $10 (only if amount due is $5 or more), and $20 (only if amount due is $10 or more), and your ticket will be returned. Take this to the automated exit and the exit bar will be raised. The first five minutes of parking are provided free of charge for those who want to quickly drop off or pick up passengers in the short-term parking area. Otherwise, parking rates are:
The arrival and departure halls are located on the ground floor and can be accessed by disabled passengers. Wheelchairs are provided by individual airlines, who will assist passengers onto the aircraft. Passengers requiring wheelchair or special assistance should inform their airline prior to travel. Luggage carts are also available for free both in the main hall where the ticket counters are located, as well as in the luggage claim area.
Visitors to the airport will find a bank and ATM located in the public area of the terminal. The bank, which can exchange popular currencies into or out of US dollars as well as provide normal banking services, is open regular business hours Monday through Friday, and in the morning on Saturday. The bank is closed on Sunday.
Restaurants and souvenir shops are located in both the public area as well as the departure lounge.
Additional shops are located in the departure lounge, and include a perfume shop and liquor store (which sells liquor, tobacco, and Dutch cheeses).
Public telephones area available for making credit card calls, collect calls, calling card calls, and prepaid card calls.
A cigarette vending machine is available in the main terminal, and there is a smoking hall adjacent to the snack shop in the departure lounge.
A departure tax, also know as a Passenger Facility Charge (PFC), must be paid by all passengers departing Bonaire. The tax for all international destinations is USD $35.00 per person. Starting October 1st, 2010, the PFC will be included in all tickets purchased for travel on or after October 1, 2010, except for those traveling with DAE.
Departure taxes to domestic destinations (Curacao, Sint Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius, or Aruba) is $9.00 per person, except for those traveling with DAE. Note that in many cases the international tax FROM these locations may be already included in the ticket price for flights originating at those airports, so there's no need to pay for the international tax twice if connecting via a different airline in Curacao, Sint Maarten, or Aruba.
Children under 2 are exempt from the departure tax; children from 2 to 12 years old, as well as senior citizens 60 or older, receive a 50% discount on the tax.
The Airport Tax Booth will be open for payment of PFC for passengers who do not yet have the tax included in their travel ticket and for those traveling on DAE. The fee is payable in cash or debit/credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, Maestro, Kompa Leon all accepted, but American Express is not). Look for the sign at the airport for the departure tax booth. It is open Monday through Friday from 5:00 AM until 9:00 PM. On Saturdays, it's open from 4:00 AM until 8:00 PM, and on Sundays, it's open from 8:00 AM until 12:00 AM.
To assist with this transition, beginning October 1st, airlines will be utilizing the following protocols when checking in passengers at the airport: Passengers without PFC in their airline travel ticket (this can be verified at check-in) shall be directed to the Airport Tax Booth to pay the PFC. For passengers who have the PFC included in their airline ticket, the airline representative will need to confirm this in the reservation/check-in system at the check-in counter. The passenger should then present this form together with their boarding pass and ID, to the Document Control Security Officer at the screening point. The Security Officer will collect the form from the passenger.
If a passenger needs a receipt for the purchased PFC, it will either be on the passenger copy of the stub purchased at the tax booth or the receipt received at ticket purchase. Passengers who have checked in via the Internet and who can show that their boarding pass indicates that the PFC is included in the airline ticket and have no checked bags, shall proceed to the airport tax booth to collect the form before entering the screening point. This procedure is only valid during the transition period.
A variety of regional and international carriers operate from Bonaire's Flamingo Airport. Click here to learn more about which airline is best for your travel.
For additional information, or for those who require the services of the airport for private planes, including jet fuel and landing privileges, and up-to-date flight arrival and departure information, visit the web site of Flamingo Airport.
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