Looking back on a successful DCCA 1st International Sustainable Air Transportation event

Valuable knowledge and insights gained on sustainable aviation efforts

ORANJESTAD – After the community event held on November 11, 2022, at the Southside General Aviation Hangar, the Dutch Caribbean Cooperation of Airports (DCCA), a cooperation between all 6 Caribbean Airports within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, can look back on a successful 1st International Sustainable Air Transportation Event – A Flight to the Future.

The keynote speech, speakers, presentations, panel discussions and masterclasses held during the event have proven to be of immense value to the continued efforts of all the airports involved to venture into sustainable air transportation developments, solutions, and technologies in support of one of their main goals, sustainably improving the inter-island connectivity.

“The knowledge and insights gained during the event will further strengthen our efforts as Dutch Caribbean Cooperation of Airports to be innovative front runners on electric flying in the Caribbean region and making interisland air connections more sustainable, efficient, and affordable for the Dutch Caribbean communities. This will in turn further enhance the societies of the island nations taking the sustainable development goals of all into consideration”, said Joost Meijs, CEO of Aruba Airport Authority N.V. and DCCA Chairman on behalf of DCCA.

A total of 311 participants attended the in person conference throughout the week and 888 attended the event virtually. The community also came out in large numbers to view the Pipistrel Velis Electro and learn more about its capabilities and technology.

As one of the great accomplishments an historical Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed during the event between all four countries (Aruba, St Maarten, Curacao and The Netherlands)   of the Dutch Kingdom, six airports of the Dutch Caribbean and the Dutch Association of Airports (NVL), In this Memorandum of Understanding all signatories have expressed their commitment to improve the interisland connectivity by making it more affordable, efficient, and sustainable. As a result of this MOU the parties will form a steering committee and workgroup working on a Joint Business Plan describing how this ambition can be achieved and which hurdles need to be eliminated. This business plan will be delivered within seven months from the day of signing of this MOU.

On behalf of DCCA, chairman Mr. Joost Meijs sincerely thanks all contributors, participants and all support staff that have made this event possible and a grand success. A heartfelt thank you is also in place for all the speakers, panelists, moderators, stakeholders and finally all volunteers that participated in getting this event of the ground and successfully completed.

For more information on the conference held visit DCCA’s website at www.dccaairports.com

Date: November 14, 2022