KLM is to operate several relieve flights between CUR-SXM with the 747-400.
The aircraft is expected to arrive Friday evening from where they will pick up relieve goods and staff. Saturday it will depart for SXM the first KLM flight after hurricane Irma. The aircraft will make a few runs between both Islands before returning to AMS on Tuesday. All flight are operated by volunteer flight crew and cabin crew.

Source: luchtvaartnieuws.nl

Any news/update on the status of repairs at SXM?

There was a good amount of sand on the runway from the photos shown and the jetways looked quite bent up.

Flanker7 wrote:

All flight are operated by volunteer flight crew and cabin crew.

May be an ignorant question, but by volunteer do you mean unpaid or volunteer to work these flights? Either way a very good move by the airline (and crew). Sad to think a hurricane was needed to get a 747 back to SXM but at least people seem committed to as quick of a recovery as possible!

Crews will get paid but volunteered operate these flights. In addition it will be a 7 pallet combi.

Een Boeing 747-400 van KLM is vertrokken naar Sint Maarten om mensen van het door orkanen getroffen eiland te halen. Het gaat daarbij volgens de luchtvaartmaatschappij om hulpbehoevenden, toeristen van alle nationaliteiten en anderen die niet op het eiland wonen.

Het is de eerste KLM-vlucht die naar Sint Maarten gaat sinds orkaan Irma. Het toestel landt naar verwachting vrijdagavond op Curaçao, waar personeel en hulpgoederen worden opgehaald. Zaterdag vliegt het toestel, een Boeing 747 Combi die zowel 268 passagiers als pallets met vracht kan vervoeren, voor het eerst naar Sint Maarten

Condensed translation: flight arrives at CUR on Friday night. On Saturday it flies to SXM with a fresh crew and emergency goods and picks up passengers at Sint Maarten. Everybody who wants to leave Sint Maarten can board, not only KLM passengers, but tourists of all nationalities and others who need urgent evacuation.

So... are there going to be any spotters at Maho Beach for this? Is there even a "Maho beach" left as of now?

KiloRomeoDelta wrote:

So... are there going to be any spotters at Maho Beach for this? Is there even a "Maho beach" left as of now?

The last photo I saw the beach was on the other side of the fence.

ImperialEagle wrote:

KiloRomeoDelta wrote:

So... are there going to be any spotters at Maho Beach for this? Is there even a "Maho beach" left as of now?

The last photo I saw the beach was on the other side of the fence.

what fence? Most of it was compromised by Irma.

You will get people taking pictures (As like a "Relief Sign") mostly from the Airport, and The Royal Islander Staff.

Aircraft = PH-BFT

16 Sep SXM - AUA KL728 B744M PH-BFT
16 Sep AUA - SXM KL728 B744M PH-BFT
16 Sep SXM - AUA KL727 B744M PH-BFT
16 Sep CUR - SXM KL727 B744M PH-BFT
15 Sep AMS - CUR KL737 B744M PH-BFT
13 Sep MEX - AMS KL686 B744M PH-BFT
13 Sep AMS - MEX KL685 B744M PH-BFT
12 Sep HKG - AMS KL888 B744M PH-BFT
11 Sep AMS - HKG KL887 B744M PH-BFT
10 Sep MEX - AMS KL686 B744M PH-BFT
10 Sep AMS - MEX KL685 B744M PH-BFT
10 Sep ICN - AMS KL856 B744M PH-BFT

Looks like Delta operated an SXM relief flight on Thursday Sept 14, bringing in supplies and aid on DL9931 from ATL and flying some people out. Aircraft was a 757 N819DX:

http://news.delta.com/video-deltas-hurr ... st-maarten

KLM is on its way to SXM:

https://www.flightradar24.com/KLM727/ee17364

And so she's back.

And on her way to AUA to unload, only to return to SXM this afternoon.

So... only today = 2x daily KL B744 at SXM.

https://www.flightradar24.com/KLM727/ee1f71a

Good publicity for KLM

The benefit of the 747 combi, medium passenger capacity, lower hold cargo and 7 pallet 10 feet main deck cargo capacity.

See : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PGvz4y2jwM

Found several pictures:

judging by the pictures, and thanks for posting, it looks like the sand and other debris from the gate area is gone.

So they're using airstairs at St. Maarten. Does this mean the airbridges are still inoperative? Do the passengers go through the terminal or is it still closed?

I assume the are tankering fuel for the R/T

PatrickZ80 wrote:

So they're using airstairs at St. Maarten. Does this mean the airbridges are still inoperative? Do the passengers go through the terminal or is it still closed?

3/4 Jetways were destroyed. Terminal won't be open for a while. I heard the first scheduled commercial flights will be on September 26th.

jackieman27 wrote:

PatrickZ80 wrote:

So they're using airstairs at St. Maarten. Does this mean the airbridges are still inoperative? Do the passengers go through the terminal or is it still closed?

3/4 Jetways were destroyed. Terminal won't be open for a while. I heard the first scheduled commercial flights will be on September 26th.

I believe that is incorrect. DL and others have flown into SXM recently. Mostly relief flights but its bookable so technically, those are scheduled commercial flights.

That paint job looks fantastic with the blue sky behind. Good luck to KLM and their crew.

jumbojet wrote:

jackieman27 wrote:

PatrickZ80 wrote:

So they're using airstairs at St. Maarten. Does this mean the airbridges are still inoperative? Do the passengers go through the terminal or is it still closed?

3/4 Jetways were destroyed. Terminal won't be open for a while. I heard the first scheduled commercial flights will be on September 26th.

I believe that is incorrect. DL and others have flown into SXM recently. Mostly relief flights but its bookable so technically, those are scheduled commercial flights.

Oh okay, I thought they just were still evacuating tourists.

jackieman27 wrote:

jumbojet wrote:

jackieman27 wrote:

3/4 Jetways were destroyed. Terminal won't be open for a while. I heard the first scheduled commercial flights will be on September 26th.

I believe that is incorrect. DL and others have flown into SXM recently. Mostly relief flights but its bookable so technically, those are scheduled commercial flights.

Oh okay, I thought they just were still evacuating tourists.

If you want, you can book a flight into SXM. I'd be interested to hear how that goes as far as entering the airport and transiting through immigration.

jumbojet wrote:

I believe that is incorrect. DL and others have flown into SXM recently. Mostly relief flights but its bookable so technically, those are scheduled commercial flights.

No, there have been no scheduled commercial flights in. That relief/aid flight on Sep 14 ATL-SXM was the first Delta flight back in after Irma and it was a one-off; as the linked video showed, it took four days of prep (obtaining approvals from authorities, etc) just to get that one flight in as the airport is in no shape to welcome back regular tourists. Even though they allowed bookings, they have been canceling a few days ahead of departure.

Why did pilot reverse engine two and three only? Not using one and four. Hmm. I never seen this before. (see KLM 744 video)

Q

panamair wrote:

jumbojet wrote:

I believe that is incorrect. DL and others have flown into SXM recently. Mostly relief flights but its bookable so technically, those are scheduled commercial flights.

No, there have been no scheduled commercial flights in. That relief/aid flight on Sep 14 ATL-SXM was the first Delta flight back in after Irma and it was a one-off; as the linked video showed, it took four days of prep (obtaining approvals from authorities, etc) just to get that one flight in as the airport is in no shape to welcome back regular tourists. Even though they allowed bookings, they have been canceling a few days ahead of departure.

Yes there has. It doesn't matter how many flights were cancelled before that or after that flight or how much coordination, planning or prep it took. I could've book a seat on that flight and gone to SXM if I wanted to. Plus, it also used the regular DL flight # not something in the 9 series that usually indicates a one off etc..

Q wrote:

Why did pilot reverse engine two and three only? Not using one and four. Hmm. I never seen this before. (see KLM 744 video)

Q

Same reason the A380 does. To prevent problems with 1,4 overhanging loose earth.

jumbojet wrote:

Yes there has. It doesn't matter how many flights were cancelled before that or after that flight or how much coordination, planning or prep it took. I could've book a seat on that flight and gone to SXM if I wanted to. Plus, it also used the regular DL flight # not something in the 9 series that usually indicates a one off etc..

This is the last time I am going to post on this thread about this since this is mostly off-topic for this thread but there have been no commercial scheduled flights by Delta back into SXM since Irma hit on Sep 6. DL908 ATL-SXM which operates about 4-5x weekly during September has been cancelled every day it was supposed to operate since Sept 6, as has DL461 JFK-SXM which is scheduled for 3-4x weekly in Sept; in fact JFK-SXM has now been cancelled for the rest of September. As for ATL-SXM, even though they were selling tickets, they have had to cancel a few days before each flight as it became clear the airport will remain closed; as of yesterday they were selling tickets for ATL-SXM for 19 Sep but now has been cancelled; the 21 Sep is now the first one available for sale but again, if the airport remains closed then, the flight will be cancelled.

Even the official SXM airport website has a big red notice on its website saying that all commercial scheduled flights no matter which airline have been cancelled until further notice.

KLM's B744 PH-BFT made a second trip to SXM the following day September 17th, 2017:

- 17 Sep #1 AUA - CUR KL728 B744 PH-BFT
- 17 Sep #2 CUR - SXM KL728 B744 PB-BFT
- 17 Sep #3 SXM - AUA KL728 B744 PH-BFT

Iemand91 wrote:

From that image at SXM it doesn't look like the jet-ways suffered any serious damage, although it could have been repaired quickly.

bmacleod wrote:

Iemand91 wrote:

From that image at SXM it doesn't look like the jet-ways suffered any serious damage, although it could have been repaired quickly.

I've seen some pretty grim pictures of the interior of the terminal. So that repaired jet-way would lead to nowhere. With no tourists to be expected for months(?), I would guess that repairing the terminal is pretty low on the priority list when primary infrastructure is still being repaired (food, water and electricity are still unreliably provided, AFAIK)

SXM has really been hit hard and these poor souls will have another close encounter the next few days.

panamair wrote:

jumbojet wrote:

Yes there has. It doesn't matter how many flights were cancelled before that or after that flight or how much coordination, planning or prep it took. I could've book a seat on that flight and gone to SXM if I wanted to. Plus, it also used the regular DL flight # not something in the 9 series that usually indicates a one off etc..

This is the last time I am going to post on this thread about this since this is mostly off-topic for this thread but there have been no commercial scheduled flights by Delta back into SXM since Irma hit on Sep 6. DL908 ATL-SXM which operates about 4-5x weekly during September has been cancelled every day it was supposed to operate since Sept 6, as has DL461 JFK-SXM which is scheduled for 3-4x weekly in Sept; in fact JFK-SXM has now been cancelled for the rest of September. As for ATL-SXM, even though they were selling tickets, they have had to cancel a few days before each flight as it became clear the airport will remain closed; as of yesterday they were selling tickets for ATL-SXM for 19 Sep but now has been cancelled; the 21 Sep is now the first one available for sale but again, if the airport remains closed then, the flight will be cancelled.

Even the official SXM airport website has a big red notice on its website saying that all commercial scheduled flights no matter which airline have been cancelled until further notice.

Why is DL even selling seats on these flights, the airport is officially closed to the public and will be for some time, why isn’t DL just cancelling the schedule and preventing booking until the airport gives a more official date and time that they anticipate to reopen? I feel like what Delta is doing is not ethical for consumers purchasing those tickets, they know the flights aren’t going to depart!