Fly Birdie Fly

News that WestJet is looking to fly its wounded 737 bird out of St. Maarten in December should be welcomed. In fact, we should hope it flies out of here much earlier. The south apron at PJIA tells the story of our high season. November rolls in, Thanksgiving traffic builds, and by December the private jets come in waves. Those weeks are when we win or lose share to San Juan, Antigua, Turks and Caicos, and St. Kitts. To compete, we need every jet parking space open. That is why clearing the WestJet 737 matters now, not later.

The data fits what we see on the ramp every year. In the week before Thanksgiving 2024, global business jet flying jumped 13 percent year over year as operators positioned for holiday trips, then held strong into early December. The U.S. market, which feeds most of our arrivals, stayed hot through mid December with private flights running above 2023 levels. When that demand swells, Caribbean parking becomes a race for space. PJIA needs to be ready.

Our rivals are preparing too. San Juan offers scale, Antigua and Turks and Caicos market easy access, and St. Kitts courts high end visitors through its private FBO terminal. If we leave a space blocked, some of those aircraft will choose another airport, fuel somewhere else, and spend somewhere else. So this is a simple capacity game.

As for deriving a financial benefit from the parked bird, PJIA is right to charge parking. Space in peak season has real value, and WestJet is a large company with the means to pay standard fees. Earning that revenue while repairs continue is not opportunism, it is responsible management. When the aircraft leaves, we free a position that can turn multiple private movements a day, each with handling, fuel, and spend that supports local jobs.

So the ask is clear. Push to clear that space before the holiday surge. November and December are when private aviation pays the bills. If we want SXM to be the first choice over San Juan, Antigua, Turks and Caicos, and St. Kitts, we must protect apron flexibility and treat ramp space like the scarce asset it is. So while we are hospitable hosts to our core, we need to see that birdie fly away sooner rather than later.

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