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In this January 2011 issue:

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1. INTRO: Alarm In St. Maarten
2. SPECIALS: On-demand Private Jet Service Out Of St. Maarten
3. ARTICLE: A Review Of The Private Jet Industry In The Caribbean
4. SPONSOR MESSAGE: CheapoAir
5. NEWS ITEM: St. Maarten Air Traffic Controllers Kept Busy
6. TRAVEL TIP: Souvenir Tips For That Security Agent In Your Life
7. AGENDA: Online Art Fair - Jan 22 to 30, 2011
8. ADVERTISEMENT: St. Maarten Florist - StMaartenFlowers.com
9. CUSTOMER SERVICE: How To Book With AirStMaarten

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INTRO: Alarm In St. Maarten
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Dear friends and clients,

In this issue, I want to focus attention on the private jet industry in the Caribbean. The reason for this being the alarm the CEO of Arrindell Aviation Services (AAS), a private jet FBO operator on St. Maarten, Mr. Frank Arrindell, raised this month about how the bad service the St. Maarten Immigration Department is providing to arriving passengers at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) can be detrimental to the number of private jets coming to St. Maarten.

The Daily Herald wrote an editorial about the issue. In this editorial the Editor wrote the following:

For a country whose lifeline is hitched to the provision of services and whose future is dependent upon the quality of service it provides, St. Maarten seems not to be doing as well as it should, especially if one takes into account the realities and the grumblings of this past week.

We could not help but admire Mr. Frank Arrindell, owner of Arrindell Aviation Services, for the frankness and passion with which he spoke critically about the quality of service being provided by immigration officers – and others – at Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), one of our major gateways (see the January 5 issue of this newspaper).

We also understand fully the motivation of "Citizens for a better St. Maarten" who announced yesterday the launching of an online petition seeking 1,000 signatures and aimed at bringing about positive change to the way some Immigration officers treat guests arriving at PJIA.

While Mr. Arrindell contends that the Immigration officers are damaging the tourism product and consequently "sending the island to hell in a hand-basket real fast," we refuse to believe that all Immigration officers operating at the airport are guilty of the sins of omission and commission as charged, but as is usually the case when blame is being apportioned, invariably, the innocent also are tarred with the same broad brush.

However, if the situation is even half as bad as Mr. Arrindell would have us believe, then something must be terribly wrong, structurally, within the Immigration operations at PJIA, and needs to be fixed. Those with executive and administrative authority had better find out exactly what it is and fix it quickly.

Given the reported alleged high rate of absenteeism and the allegations about the unacceptable behaviour of officers at the front line, we cannot help but think that we are dealing with a group of employees who are crying out not for attention, but for help.

Those officers who may feel they are being targeted unfairly must realise that the concerns being expressed are grounded in the fact that the population at large is extremely conscious of the crucial importance of tourism to the future of this country, which can ill-afford to have anyone contributing to the killing of the proverbial goose that dutifully has been laying the golden eggs.

There is no feasible alternative to the provision of quality service every day, every time, all the time.

So in this month's issue, I have written a review of the private jet industry in the Caribbean outlining its importance to the islands and the benefits of private jet travel for the discerning traveller.

Happy New Year, Happy Travels in 2011 & Happy Readings!

Terrance Rey

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2. SPECIALS: On-demand Private Jet Service Out Of St. Maarten
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We can now offer you quick on-demand private jet service out of St. Maarten to any international airport in the Caribbean for the following travel needs:

• Business
• Leisure
• Medical

You will be flying either on one of our Citations, Hawkers, Learjets or any other suitable executive jet aircraft we have available. Shared charters is also possible as customers understand and agree that they will be sharing their flight with other customers. Email sales@airsxm.com for more information or email reservations@airsxm.com to book.

 

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3. ARTICLE: A Review Of The Private Jet Industry In The Caribbean
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A Review Of The Private Jet Industry In The Caribbean

by Terrance Rey 

Do you know that there has been a 11% increase in the movement of Latin American and Caribbean passengers in 2010, thereby generating revenues amounting to over $21.9 billion dollars? Here is a review why this is the case, especially for the private jet industry in the Caribbean.

Think Caribbean Islands and a thousand scintillating images suffuse your mind. You have surf tours on the beaches of Barbados, luxury cruises in the incredible climate of Grenada, sailing on catamarans around the Virgin Islands, theme vacations in plush villas in Jamaica and beach weddings on St. Maarten. This culturally-rich part of the world is also credited with giving us uniquely flavored food and soul-stirring music, from Jazz to Calypso.

It is every travel aficionado’s absolute delight teeming with bright and sunny weather, golden sunsets over the bays, scuba diving and banana boat rides on sparkling waters and snorkeling above abundant reefs. Little wonder then that holidaying crowds head to this spectacular part of the world to soak in the vivacious, bohemian spirit of the Caribbean Islands.

The Significance of the Private Jet Industry for the Caribbean

In the last few years, the private jet industry in the Caribbean has witnessed a phenomenal increase. The increase in the number of reservations for individuals seeking to charter a jet during the holiday season is particularly encouraging. With other commercial airlines being plagued by instances of flight delays, cancellations and lost luggage, travellers across the globe are looking for a more reliable way to get to one of the most exotic holiday destinations in the world.

The rapidly expanding private jet industry in the Caribbean has opened up new avenues of fast, safe, efficient and luxurious travel, without the thought of aircraft transfers and luggage losses troubling travellers incessantly. When it comes to fulfilling deadlines and maintaining safety standards, the Caribbean private jet industry is leagues ahead of its counterparts in Europe and America.

The Soaring Popularity of Private Jets in the Caribbean

The limitations of size and manpower faced by larger commercial airlines have enabled the private jet industry to flourish in smaller destinations like The Bahamas and the Eastern Caribbean area. Most travellers have accepted the fact that it is far easier to access these smaller, exotic destinations by using the services of private or corporate jets.

They are also treated to a wide variety of airports as well as a multitude of holiday destinations. Individuals, groups and families have come to accept the Caribbean private jet industry as a hallmark for unparalleled service and absolute luxury and comfort. So whether it is St. Maarten, Tortola, St. Vincent, The Grenadines, Bequia, Canouan, Mayreau, Mustique, The Tobago Cays or Union Island, there is a comprehensive and efficient private jet service provider just waiting to impress the connoisseur in you.

With such rapid developments in the aviation sector of the Caribbean, the private jet industry can go in only direction - up. And up it is going. Even though the Caribbean Islands are just 1,600 miles from Miami, for a long time travellers always believed that the private jet industry on the islands was still a very long way from achieving world standards. But, as evident from the travel industry figures, there has been steady growth and development in this vital industry.

Today, Caribbean Fixed Based Operators (FBO) servicing private jet operators have, through their dedication and experience, have built a reputation of providing world-class, matchless client service satisfying the most demanding needs of every discerning traveler. Book a private jet flight to the Caribbean and experience this service for yourself.

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Terrance Rey is CEO and Owner of AirStMaarten, an organizer of quality private jet service to and from St. Maarten and throughout the Caribbean. Visit his website at http://www.reyjetservices.com.

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4. SPONSOR MESSAGE: CheapoAir
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5. NEWS ITEM: St. Maarten Air Traffic Controllers Kept Busy
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               Photo by Robert-Jan James

Air traffic controllers kept busy Christmas, New Year weekends

AIRPORT--Though hard to quantify in terms of exact economic spin-off, the argument would be difficult to make that Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) and by extension St. Maarten, didn't do good business over the Christmas and New Year weekends.

The air traffic controllers (ATCs) were kept busy over the two weekends, handling more than 1,000 aircraft movements during each weekend. This past Sunday alone, ATCs handled more than 600 movements. For reference purposes, ATCs handled about 35 landings and departures in a single hour, as well as 15 to 20 over-flights.

There was limited ramp space at PJIA to accommodate all private aircraft. Hence, neighbouring islands like Anguilla recently reported welcoming 35 private flights in one day. To put that into perspective, St. Maarten ATCs handled approximately 100 private jets in one day in St. Maarten, plus the jets destined for Anguilla.

ATCs at PJIA are responsible for six airports: Saba, Statia, Grand Case, St. Barths, Anguilla and, of course, St. Maarten.

PJIA is on track to set a record in terms of private jet arrivals in 2010. From January to August, 5,037 private jets arrived at PJIA, compared to 3,918 over the same period of 2009, an increase of 28.5 per cent. When the numbers for the entire year are made available, PJIA is expected to surpass jet arrival numbers by more than 1,000.

Despite the heavy traffic activity of commercial aircraft, very minor delays were recorded. The majority of the delays were associated with the snowstorms that affected the US East coast.

Source: The Daily Herald 

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6. TRAVEL TIP: Souvenir Tips For That Security Agent In Your Life
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• Gloves
• Assorted lotions in very small bottles
• A Men In Black memory wipe for pat-downs you want to forget
• Cheese log
• Therapy
• “Happy Holidays” written on your chest so it can be read through the scanner
• Bag of Little Friskies
• Axe body spray
• “Grabby McGrabberson” name badge
• Membership in the Fraternal Order of Fondlers
• More gloves

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7. AGENDA: Online Art Fair - Jan 22 to 30, 2011
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Organizers have announced that 139 art galleries worldwide will participate in the V.I.P. Art Fair, an online-only fair, from Jan. 22 to 30. Each gallery will be able to show 8 to 20 artworks in its virtual booth and to store others in a virtual back room, from which it can bring pieces out to show to individual collectors. Browsing the fair is free, but chatting online with the dealers requires a ticket, which will cost $100 the first two days and $20 after that. The fair is the idea of the dealers James and Jane Cohan and the Internet entrepreneurs Jonas and Alessandra Almgren. AXA Art Insurance Corporation will offer information about art insurance to fair visitors, and the PBS program “Art21” will provide videos of studio visits with major artists and tours of major private collections.
Learn more: http://vipartfair.com/open/learn_more

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8. ADVERTISEMENT: St. Maarten Florist - StMaartenFlowers.com
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Visit our website and place your order for flowers, bouquets and giftbaskets online today. We will deliver your orders to homes, businesses, hotels, villas, hospitals, gated communities, schools, universities and funeral parlors anywhere in St. Maarten. Just place your order and we will send you a pro forma invoice with payment instructions. You can pay online with your creditcard once you receive our invoice. After your payment is received, we will process your order and deliver according to your specific instructions. We also do wedding bouquets, boutonniers and centerpieces. http://www.stmaartenflowers.com

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9. CUSTOMER SERVICE: How To Book With AirStMaarten
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Booking Procedure & Reservation Information

Submit a reservation request online at www.airsxm.com. Once we receive your request, we will send you a Reservation Offer for your consideration. Once you accept our proposal, we will require payment. You can use our credit card form to send us your credit card information. We accept all major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. You can also pay by bank transfer, check, cash or Paypal. Once payment is received, we will book the commercial flight or private charter and send you a Reservation Confirmation.

If you have requested additional services such as VIP Transfer Services, we will send you a Final Confirmation containing all details of your travel itinerary and services booked. And that's how you book with AirStMaarten.

Other Customer Service Resources:
Our Shared Charters concept explained in full detail
VIP Transfer Services through Princess Juliana Int'l Airport
Island Concierge Services on St. Maarten and St. Barths
Read what our satisfied clients are saying about our service
Ticket Insurance
We also accept payments via Paypal
St. Maarten Villa Rentals
St. Maarten Yachting and Sailing Charters
Sign up for our email newsletter service

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- Email: customerservice@airsxm.com
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