SLM to fly to Cayenne by end October

(de Ware Tijd) ZANDERIJ – National carrier SLM has finally obtained permission from the French authorities for the Paramaribo-Cayenne-Belem route. Clyde Cairo, deputy director of the airline company, made the announcement at the open house at the Johan Adolf Pengel airport last Sunday.

Flights on the new destinations are to start by the end of October. Expanding with the Cayenne destination is in line with plans by SLM to strengthen its regional network. ‘We want to add a new destination to our flight schedule every year,’ Cairo explains. The Belem destination is quite profitable to the SLM and plans to add Fortaleza and possibly São Paulo are well underway. Fortaleza has a Dutch colony which makes it interesting to the Netherlands. ‘We want to connect Fortaleza to Amsterdam via Paramaribo.

Currently SLM is also negotiating a partnership with the China Southern Airlines and Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong, which would open up possibilities to fly on one ticket out of China to Paramaribo. SLM plans to expand its fleet for flights to Europe next year. The mid Atlantic route is very profitable to the company. The festivities at Zanderij are to celebrate the company’s 50th birthday last month. ‘We earn from society, so it’s fitting to give something back,’ Cairo explains.