PARAMARIBO, Suriname, Sept 23, CMC – A director of the state-owned Surinamese Aviation Company (SLM) says the recovery and future plans must contribute to the further development of the national airline.
John Sandie told the state-owned Suriname Communication Service (CDS) that he believes based on studies undertaken examining the routes and financial position, the airline has the potential to be a “healthy airline”.
“We have the opportunity to grow big in this country, and we are going to do so,” Sandie said, even as he acknowledged that funding and approval of the plan are needed to proceed.
He told the CDS that SLM is in a transition where stability, operational reliability, customer orientation, digitalization, and stronger partnerships are central.
He said because of safety concerns there are delays everywhere in the aviation industry, adding that “no one will depart if it is unsafe.
“Of course, you don’t like to see these things happen. You don’t want downtime, you don’t want disruption. That is why we are actually looking to the future. We are aiming for stability, peace of mind, customer orientation, digitalization, better machines, better partners, stronger partners.”
Sandie said that SLM has established a working relationship with several Caribbean-based airlines and is holding talks with larger partners, whom he does not name.
But he said that from September 27, SLM will fly with Eastern Airlines on the Mid-Atlantic route. Eastern Airlines will become Surinam Airways’ new partner on the Paramaribo-Amsterdam route for the next two years.
He said that the national carrier will deploy its own Boeing 777-200 starting in December and that in the coming years, he expects the airline to acquire more aircraft and add new destinations given that SLM has received invitations for new destinations while Barranquilla in Colombia, Sint Maarten, and Jamaica are further possibilities. He said the airline wants to resume flying to Curaçao.
Sandie said SLM also wants to play a larger role within Suriname’s tourism product and develop a hub function.
“We really want to engage with the sector, involving it in our plans. But even more so, we want to be an international operator.”
CMC/ah/ir/2026