Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA)
is the airport of St. Maarten. It is
located 15 kilometers northwest of Philipsburg and is operated
by Princess Juliana International Operating Company
NV (PJIAE), a limited liability company, which is wholly
owned by PJIA Holding N.V. which in turn is fully owned
by the Island Government of the Island Territory of
St. Maarten. Under a concession granted to PJIAE by
Government for a period of twenty years - effective January 3,
1997- PJIAE manages, operates, maintains and develops the
Princess Juliana International Airport.
The island of
St. Maarten / St. Martin 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 its geographical location, the island plays a
strategic role in the development of neighboring islands
Saba, St. Eustatius (also Netherlands Antilles
territories),
Anguilla and St. Barths.
As a matter of fact, the Princess Juliana
International Airport serves more than the community of
St. Maarten
and its tourism industry. The airport is the hub that feeds
St. Martin 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
