[peternh]

I had two very poor experiences with Dutch Antilles Express this summer, one of them so bad, and in which the airline seemed so determined to avoid all of what I imagine to be its responsibilities, that there seemed little point in taking the matter further. However, I happened to notice that the airline had a Facebook page, and so I posted a rapidly written and brief account of problems with two flights there. I suppose I half expected that there'd be a reply saying 'Contact us to discuss this further.' I had no particular plan of campaign in mind. But I also half expected that the remarks would be ignored. Instead they were simply deleted within minutes and I was blocked from posting further on the page.

This did annoy me to the point that I repost here, again with no particular plan, or any expectation of recognition or compensation from the airline (not because such a response would not be appropriate, but because the airline simply will avoid addressing its responsibilities at all costs). I do think others, however, should be warned about what they might be getting themselves into when flying with this airline, which serves a number of Caribbean destinations, particularly those with Dutch connections (Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, etc.) There are alternative airlines on these routes. I know nothing about those, but they simply cannot be worse than DAE.

Here's the original FB posting. It was written swiftly, and I haven't edited it, but can provide further details if anyone thinks those necessary:

I can honestly say I have never, ever, been treated as badly by an airline as by Dutch Antilles Express, even in remote corners of China in the 1980s. Two flights this summer, from Caracas to Curaçao and then to Aruba were both managed with complete incompetence, the first one, a 20-minute flight that arrived over 15 hours late, quite staggeringly so.

We were warned that departure would be delayed an hour or so as we checked-in (on July 4), but then the flight time was repeatedly set back on departure boards in increments of an hour or so without any announcement or explanation. Eventually, in the middle of the night, some sort of announcement was made in Spanish, but no attempt whatsoever was made to assist English-speaking passengers. As the hours went on we existed largely on rumour provided by English-speaking local people: a hotel was being offered (it wasn't), the baggage had been unloaded (it hadn't), we were going to fly at such-and-such a time (we didn't), we were finally going to be given something to drink in 15 minutes (make that 45 minutes, after several hours in the airport, and with my by then exhausted small children both fast asleep).

It had been given out (we were told) that we could not fly until the morning because Curaçao's airport was closed. Passengers used their mobile phones to call Curaçao and told us this was entirely false. At about 3am there was what most passengers regarded as merely the pretence of an attempt to fly: we made it as far as the end of the runway, the engines revved up and then revved down again, and we returned to the gate. Rumour had it the problem was flaps although that was regarded by those who mentioned it to us as a transparent lie.

We spent the night, a family of four with two small children, on seats in Caracas airport. We were finally told a fresh plane was being brought in and that there would be a flight at a certain time mid-morning (it eventually left later than announced). After more than 12 hours overnight in the airport we were given a voucher for breakfast (although we wouldn't have known that was available had not one helpful English-speaking passenger told us). Just before the flight some people appeared who apparently HAD been given a hotel room, and who had been brought back to the airport just in time for the flight. When one apparently more senior official of the airline finally appeared his attempt to grab the camera of an irate passenger who was photographing him nearly led to a riot: there was much jostling by infuriated passengers and fists were raised.

It seemed to everyone we spoke to that DAE's sole purpose was to avoid its responsibilities to passengers under standard regulations and to avoid costs of any kind. There was deceit from start to finish.

Rumour reached us that compensation would be offered but that it amounted to no more than free tickets for a later flight--of no use to us whatsoever. We lost an entire day of our brief Curaçao stay including a night at the Hyatt Regency. Later rumour had it that compensation would be available to those who visited the airline's in-town office. It was generally agreed that this was an attempt to divide and rule, and that it would be up to each individual passenger to negotiate as best he or she could. Now on a tight schedule to cover necessary ground and complete a story before flying on to Aruba, I was never able to visit that office. After time in Aruba, Colombia, and Panama I'm only just now back home. Is it worth writing to DAE? I doubt there would be a response.

Even the short flight from Curaçao to Aruba four days later was significantly delayed, two flights were compressed into one, there was seating chaos, and the flight included many passengers who had come in from the US and missed a connection despite having been promised that it would be held for them. They, however, had been given a hotel overnight. Once finally allowed to board we left the air-conditioned lounge only to be kept standing outside in the heat for half an hour because in fact the airline had not yet boarded the crew.

One regular passenger told us that none of the above behaviour was much out of the ordinary for the airline. I pity those who may be forced to depend upon it regularly for travel around the region. It is an utter disgrace.