THE HAGUE – The Dutch government has acknowledged that its decision to acquire shares in the Sint Maarten–based airline Winair has not achieved its intended goal of ensuring affordable air connections for Saba and St. Eustatius. Those islands depend on Sint Maarten for access to the wider world, but ticket prices remain prohibitively high.
Minister Robert Tieman of Infrastructure and Water Management stated that the policy instrument of government shareholding has proved ineffective in safeguarding this public interest. He admits that “the ticket prices between the Windward Islands are still considered too high,” despite the state’s involvement in the airline.
Tieman further noted that the conflict between the government’s role as shareholder and the airline’s commercial interests should have been anticipated earlier. Efforts to push for lower fares, he explained, place direct pressure on the company’s profitability, making the shareholding approach fundamentally unsuitable for achieving the policy objective.
After years of hesitation and a series of advisory reports, the cabinet has now opted for a different mechanism: a public service obligation (PSO). Under this system, the minister may grant a concession to an airline that agrees to operate the route under conditions set by the government, including mandatory flight frequency and controlled ticket prices. In exchange, the airline would receive subsidies to cover operational losses.
To implement the PSO model, the government must amend the BES Aviation Act. The legislative proposal has already been submitted to the Dutch House of Representatives, with an intended effective date of October 1, 2026.
The shift marks a significant change in policy direction, reflecting growing frustration in The Hague and on the islands over the persistent lack of affordable air connectivity—an issue widely considered essential for economic development, healthcare access and overall quality of life in Saba and St. Eustatius.