Princess Juliana Airport
Princess Juliana Airport is operated by Princess Juliana International Airport Operating Company (PJIAE). A limited liability company, which wholly owned by PJIA Holding N.V., which in turn is fully owned by the Government of St. Maarten.
Princess Juliana International Airport comprises a network of about 80 companies, organisations and public agencies, jointly constituting the Princess Juliana International Airport product. There are approximately 1,000 people employed at the airport of which 269 directly by PJIAE. PJIAE plays a central role in the economy of St Maarten and functions as a premier gateway for the surrounding islands. PJIAE caters to an average of 1.6 million passengers and approximately 200 scheduled and charter flights a day from the Caribbean, Europe, North, Central and South America.
The island of St. Maarten is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two nations. The northern side (St. Martin) is governed by the French and the southern side (St. Maarten) is one of the five island territories that make up the semi autonomous country of the Netherlands Antilles, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. While English is the main language on both sides, Dutch is the official language on the southern side and French the official language on the northern side.
Because of the geographical location, the island plays a strategic role in the development of neighbouring islands Saba, St Eustatius (also Netherlands Antilles territories), Anguilla and St Barths. As a matter of fact, the Proncess Juliana International Airport serves more than the community of St Maarten and its tourism industry. The airport is the hub that feeds St Maarten and surrounding islands as well.
PJIAE started as a small military base that was built in 1942, and was converted into a civilian airport in 1943, the first in this part of the Caribbean. It has played an important role in the socio-economic transition of St. Maarten, from an agriculturally based economy into one of the major tourist destinations in the Caribbean.
Today PJIA is the second busiest airport in the North Eastern Caribbean, in terms of aircraft movements, behind San Juan, Puerto Rico. PJIA is the single most important strategic asset of St. Maarten.
