ORANJESTAD, Aruba -- With the addition of U.S. INS/Customs
officials at Queen Beatrix Airport here, Aruba became only the
third nation in the Caribbean to offer a customs checkpoint.
The Bahamas and the U.S. Virgin Islands also offer this service
in the Caribbean.
The U.S. Customs Service opened its office here in January and
officially began service in March, allowing U.S.-bound air
passengers to clear customs before they leave the island.
Once passengers clear customs, they fly back to the U.S. on a
domestic flight and do not need to clear customs again once they
land.
The preclearance customs facilities are part of an ongoing $67
million expansion at the airport.
The expansion, to be completed this month, will triple the size
of the preexisting airport to 403,650 square feet.
The new airport facilities will have a maximum total annual
capacity of 2.5 million passengers, up from 1.7 million passengers
annually.
The first phase of renovations was completed Sept. 1 with the
opening of two terminal buildings, one for international passengers
and the other for U.S.-bound departures.
Each building flanks the original structure and extends to a
second level. Both are equipped with check-in counters and waiting
space.
Work is now concentrated on the final phase of the plan, which
includes completing the expansion of the arrivals terminal.
A third floor in which arriving passengers will pass will house
Aruba Immigration.
Airport shops, VIP rooms and business centers also are slated to
be completed in the second phase.
Of the three VIP rooms, American Airlines will use one to house
its Admiral's Club.
To coincide with the renovations and reopening, the airport
expects to see an increase in arrivals with the addition of airlift
from four airlines in time for the winter season.
Air Aruba, Delta, Continental and US Airways all increased
service to the island.
Delta added a daily nonstop flight from Atlanta, and Air Aruba
added a daily flight from Orlando. Both services began July 1.
Starting Nov. 12, US Airways will add a nonstop flight out of
Philadelphia with daily departures.
Beginning Dec. 1, Delta will launch daily service from New York
(Kennedy), and Continental will begin flying four times a week from
Newark on Dec. 15.
Air Aruba offers service from Baltimore and Philadelphia four
times a week; from Tampa, Fla., three times a week, and daily from
Miami and Newark. The Newark flights are increased to twice a day
on the weekends.
American flies into Aruba from New York (Kennedy) and San Juan
with one flight daily and twice daily from Miami.
Continental serves the island from Houston twice weekly, and TWA
travels to Aruba with daily flights out of Boston; New York
(Kennedy); Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Los Angeles via San Juan.