St. Eustatius reopens to commercial traffic

The Dutch Caribbean island of Sint Eustatius has opened a new passenger terminal and control tower at Saint Eustatius F.D. Roosevelt International Airport ahead of the re-opening of its borders to tourists on August 2, 2021.

According to local news reports, a grand opening of the new terminal and tower is scheduled for August 27, 2021.

The old terminal building was damaged by the passing of hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, whereafter a development programme to renew the facilities of F.R. Roosevelt Airport began.

Following a soft opening in June, the first flights by Winair (WM, St. Maarten) and SXM Airways (SXM, St. Maarten) from St. Maarten, a fellow Leeward Island, were processed at the new terminal on July 2. The event was marked by the unveiling of a special plaque by the island’s commissioner, Alida Francis, reported Pearl FM Radio.

Financed by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the construction of the new terminal building by Dutch contractor Van Boekel Bouw & Infra BV was completed on May 28. The work was executed under the supervision of the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat) in the Netherlands and the Directorate of Economy Nature and Infrastructure of the Public Entity St. Eustatius. The transition from the old to the new building started in May, and the existing airport terminal remained operational until the new building was opened.

The new terminal building measures 1,100 sqm roof space and 700 sqm floor space. It has four check-in counters, three airline offices, luggage screening, and full passenger- and staff airside screening. The waiting area at the gate offers 44 seats, and there is a land-side bar, an arrival baggage conveyor belt, customs check area, storage rooms, a meeting room, and a security & control room. The building is constructed to accommodate future expansion. The 136sqm tower stands three stories high.

With an elevation of 39m MSL and a 1,300m long runway, the airport is served by Winair from Saba and Sint Maarten; and by Trans Anguilla Airways (Anguilla) from Anguilla and Basseterre, according to the ch-aviation schedules module.