Musings on Bonaire reopening to tourists

[Canuck52]

I just re-read the 72 Hours departure regulation and it seems I was off a wee-bit. The 72 Hour departure regulation does not mean departing from ‘Canada’, but rather departing from the Netherlands or Curacao. In our case that means Curacao. So we will now try and change our plans. Up here right now getting a Covid test for travel purposes is very low priority, and I get that. So we will try and move our flight up by one day. The risk is the test results may not be ready in time. Like I said this is complicated, but we will still try.

[MelE]

Best of luck to you.....

[ChrisL]

The wife and myself should be on Bonaire about 7PM on Dec 17th. We have our Covid testing scheduled for late on the 14th, which should meet the Bonaire 72 hours before departure rule. Our detailed routing is still being worked on. We are coming in on a private jet from Canada, but we still need to do one technical fuel stop on US soil. That takes about 45 minutes. The charter company is working with the various authorities to see if they will allow a private jet to bypass Curacao. It makes little sense to us to stop over but we are dealing with ‘Government’ so we will do what they ask.

Boy this is complicated.

It makes no difference where you take the test as long as it’s a PCR, not a rapid test. The test needs to be taken within 72hrs of arrival in Bonaire, assuming you get a negative result in 24hrs it gives you 48hrs to travel. American is flying Miami to Bonaire in mid late December. If you like to fly private, there is a good chance you will be permitted to land directly mid December. If you are just refueling or transferring in Curaçao the same day they don’t even look at your test. You now go through the airport as a transfer - we did not need to go through immigration in or out of Curaçao from the US on 11/10 or back on 11/21/20.

[Canuck52]

We moved our Covid test date, yes it is PCR(but thanks for checking Chris), so it falls within the 72 hour limit for departure from Curacao. Hopefully they allow us go direct US to BON on Dec 17th. One current issue with airline travel is the number of flights that fly from Calgary to the US has gone way down. In the past we would leave Calgary in the morning with one stop in Houston and arrive on Bonaire in time for diner. The trip home was the same. But now we would have to do 2 or more connections and in some cases an overnight stay, and that really put the 72 hour rule at risk. Plus to tell you the truth we also want to avoid any crowds whenever we can for the time being in Canada and the US.

[KonaGecko]

My PCR test is scheduled for this Thursday morning (Dec 10).
Results back by 10:00AM Friday.
Fri night red-eye fly to EWR.
Sat Morning EWR--> CUR --> BON
CUR--> BON is Divi
I'll report back how it went.
All tickets are one way. See what happens mid January.

[ChrisL]

United just email me saying they cancelled our Newark-Bonaire direct flight on January 9th. I just called them and apparently they cancelled ALL their January flights including out return on the 30th - thru Newark. I just re-booked United to Curacao, I guess I could have tried American via Miami direct - I still might, but United has a heart transplant worth of travel credit$ of ours so I'm trying to redeem them first. Crazy times.

[marybeth]

We're planning to go down through Aruba on Friday. Richmond to Charlotte to Aruba to Bonaire. We're sending mail-in tests today and taking local test tomorrow, hoping that results turn around in 24-48 hours rather than the 3-5 day estimate. Chris, when you flew through Aruba, did you have to fulfill Aruba and/or Curacao entry requirements while passing through? Each require an online form and negative results, and Aruba wants the results uploaded 12 hours prior to departure and purchase of local insurance.

[tursiops]

Curacao has just gone code Orange from Yellow; in-out will get a bit more difficult now.
https://bonaire.nu/2020/12/08/reisadvies-voor-curacao-code-oranje/

[Canuck52]

Today, the 8th, the Netherlands just placed Curacao in the Orange category. Not sure what that means for flights from/to the US. But that now limits travel to essential only, or at least for folks from the Netherlands, or so I understand. So far I have not seen any response from Bonaire.


EDIT

tursiops beat me to it.

[Canuck52]

Well some good news on our trip, the Bonaire authorities have approved a direct route from the US into Bonaire for our flight. One thing in our favour was that we owned property, both a house and a sailboat registered in Bonaire. While we are not residents the fact we had some roots there seemed to be in our favour for the ‘special’ flight approval.

Hopefully, all others plans also work out.