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Friday 31 July 2020

History of Aruba’s airport

was completed in 1954, ed and the start of the jet
the new 6,445 ft. lighted age commenced in Aruba.
runway and 4,500 ft. par- The first two jet landings in
allel taxiway configuration Aruba were Jet Clipper
served to upgrade the air- “Aruba” of the Pan Ameri-
port from Class D to Class can Airways and the Henry
C in the International Civil Dunant of KLM. A year later
Aviation Organization’s in 1965 the ground break-
(ICAO) rating system which ing for the construction of
existed at the time. the fourth terminal build-
In 1962, plans started on ing took place, which was
the expansion of the airport inaugurated on November
to accommodate the new 8th, 1972.
jet aircraft entering into ser- In 1997 the last major ex-
vice, and to plan for the pansion project for the air-
passengers expected from port, Beatrix 2000, began.
new and larger airplanes. The first phase of the proj-
The plans included a new ect was completed and
terminal on the north side inaugurated on September
of the airport; a complete 1, 1999.
1955, third terminal building, arrival of Queen Juliana & Prince Bernhard new runway laid over the The Beatrix 2000 design in-
existing one including a cluded an expansion and
Continued from Page 31 two and a half inches of strip while the main runway 3,000 ft. extension into the renovation to the existing
paving covered the run- was being repaired. In Sep- lagoon, relocation of the 1972 terminal; and includ-
Nearly a decade after the way. The paving break-ups tember 1953, the 4,500 foot Oranjestad – San Nicolas ed a new arrival immigra-
Government of Aruba con- threatened to close the combination runway and highway around the air- tion hall, baggage claim,
structed the original paved field so the island govern- taxiway was completed, port, and new glide-path 8 contact gates, a new
runway, it was discovered ment decided to adopt a which served as a substi- lighting needed for jet air- concession area, and two
while repairing 42 paving two-fold program; to pave tute for the main runway craft approaches. separated check-in build-
breaks which appeared an area 133 feet wide and while it was being repaired On April 10, 1964, the first ings for U.S. and non- U.S.
between December 1950 4,500 feet long to be used and lengthened. When phase, the extension of bound flights. q
and March 1951 that only as a runway and taxi-way work on the main runway the runway was complet- Source: airportaruba.com.