Surinam Airways

Foundation and early years

The airline was established in 1953 by private entrepreneurs Rudi Kappel and Herman van Eyck as the Kappel-Van Eyck Aviation Company, aimed at operating feeder flights from a domestic network. Scheduled operations started with two Cessna 170Bs in January 1955 with domestic flights between Paramaribo and Moengo. From 1955 until 2005 Surinam Airways operated an extensive domestic network.

On 30 August 1962, the company was purchased from Herman van Eyck by the Surinamese government and renamed Surinam Airways or in Dutch SLM – Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij. The logo of Surinam Airways depicts a 'Sabaku', which is a Surinamese word for cattle egret. From 1964 Surinam Airways started scheduled international operations to Curaçao together with ALM Antillean Airlines.

Upon the country's independence in November 1975, the carrier was appointed as the national airline of the Republic of Suriname, and it also started services to Amsterdam using a Douglas DC-8-63 (registration: PH-DEM, named '25 November') that was leased from KLM.

In March 1980, the carrier had 400 employees. At this time, the fleet consisted of a Douglas DC-8-63, a Douglas DC-8-50CF (registration: PH-DCW, named 'Sabaku') and three Twin Otters (PZ-TCD, PZ-TCE & PZ-TCF). It operated international routes to Amsterdam, Belém, Curacao, Georgetown, Manaus, Miami and Panama City, and domestic services to Apoera, Avanavero, Bakhuys, Djoemoe, Ladouanie, Moengo and Nieuw Nickerie. In 1983 the regional routes were flown with a Boeing 737-200 (registration OY-APR) leased from Maersk Air (named 'Tjon Tjon').[2] The transatlantic route was flown with DC-8s leased from Arrow Air, DC-8-62 registered N1806 and also DC-8-63, registered N4935C, named 'Stanvaste'. From May 1993 until April 1999 a DHC-8-300 Dash 8 (registration: N106AV) was used on the regional routes.[3]

On 7 June 1989, a Douglas DC-8-62 (registration: N1809E, first named Fajalobi, later re-christened Anthony Nesty crashed on approach to Zanderij Airport, killing 175 occupants on board. From January 1996 until December 1999 Surinam Airways used a MD-87 (PZ-TCG, named District of Para) and thereafter a DC-9-51 (PZ-TCK, named District of Wanica and an MD-82 (PZ-TCL, named City of Paramaribo) on the regional routes.

Development since 2000

At March 2000, the airline had 543 employees.

From August 2004 until the end of 2009 Surinam Airways operated a Boeing 747-300 (PZ-TCM, named 'Ronald Elwin Kappel'), which was purchased from KLM. It was replaced with a 317-seater Airbus A340-300 (PZ-TCP, named Palulu) and later another younger A340-300 (registration: PZ-TCR).[4] In early 2009, Surinam Airways ordered two Boeing 737-300s (PZ-TCN, named District of Commewijne and PZ-TCO, named District of Marrowijne to replace its McDonnell Douglas MD-82s. In 2014, it was announced that the airline would acquire another wide-body aircraft to complement its Airbus A340-300 on international services. A Boeing 737-700 (PZ-TCS, named ' District of Saramacca' ) was leased from DAE Capital and arrived on 30 April 2018 in Suriname and became operational in May 2018,[5][6] this plane was formerly flown by Air China.[7][8] In December 2018 a second Boeing 737-700 (PZ-TCT, named 'District of Brokopondo') arrived, formerly flown by Aeromexico and leased from Aircastle.

From December 2019, a Boeing 777-200ER was leased from Boeing Capital to replace the Airbus A340-300 previously used on the Paramaribo – Amsterdam route. The aircraft was registered PZ-TCU, named 'Bird of the Green Paradise' with a special livery and performed its first commercial ETOPS flight in December 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and possible high maintenance costs the B777 was returned in March 2021. It was parked for a while in Victorville.[9] Now Boeing is using this aircraft as its new ecoDemonstrator.[10][11]

On June 3, 2025, Surinam Airways was included in the List of airlines banned in the European Union with the rest of the Suriname Airlines.[12]

Codeshare agreements

• Winair[26]

Interline agreements

• APG Airlines[27]

Current fleet

As of August 2025, Surinam Airways operates the following aircraft:[28]

Additionally, Surinam Airways leases additional aircraft to operate its sole long-haul route; as of early 2025 an Airbus A340-600 is in service.[29]

Historic fleet

Surinam Airways operated the following aircraft throughout its history:[30][31]

• Airbus A340-300
• Beech G-18S
• Bell 47G Helicopter
• Boeing 707-320C
• Boeing 737-200
• Boeing 737-300
• Boeing 737-700[32][33][34]
• Boeing 747-200B
• Boeing 747-300SCD
• Boeing 777-200ER[35]
• Cessna UC-78C Bobcat
• Cessna 170B
• Cessna 206
• de Havilland Canada Dash 6-100 Twin Otter
• de Havilland Canada Dash 6-300 Twin Otter
• de Havilland Canada Dash 8-300
• Douglas C-47A
• Douglas C-47B
• Douglas DC-6A
• Douglas DC-6B
• Douglas DC-8 Series 50
• Douglas DC-8 Super 60 Series (-62 and -63 models)
• McDonnell Douglas DC-9-50
• McDonnell Douglas MD-80
• Piper PA-18 Super Cub
• Piper PA-23-160 Apache E