Houston (Sept. 11, 2013) – Peak travel season to St Maarten and the Caribbean runs from mid-December to mid-April, but Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. are recommending that operators planning to travel to the area begin planning now.

1. Media Contact:
Louis Smyth
(713) 306-3269
lsmyth@univ-wea.com
Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. Provides Tips for St Maarten
During Peak Travel Season
Houston (Sept. 11, 2013) – Peak travel season to St Maarten and the Caribbean runs from mid-
December to mid-April, but Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. are recommending that
operators planning to travel to the area begin planning now.
“St Maarten is one of the busiest and most congested locations in the Caribbean during peak
travel periods,” advised Jessica Hosmer, Senior Trip Owner, Universal®. “If you’re competing
with the rest of the general aviation (GA) world – in planning an operation to the Caribbean,
particularly St Maarten during high season – you’ll need to orchestrate aircraft parking and hotel
arrangements well in advance and in September at the absolute latest.”
Princess Juliana International Airport (TNCM) in St Maarten is usually one of the first airports in
the Caribbean to run out of space, according to Hosmer, who recommended Antigua (TAPA),
Anguilla (TQPF) and San Juan (TJSJ) as alternatives should space at TNCM not be available. If
overnight parking is not available at TNCM, drop and go is an option, but due to the high
number of aircraft on the ground, operators may face considerable delays after dropping their
passengers.
“Operators also need to note that TNCM is a prior permission required (PPR) only airport
normally requiring five days’ lead time to secure,” said Hosmer. “Aviation fuel shortages also
occur at TNCM occasionally, so operators should be prepared for only partial fill-ups and should
consider tankering or making an additional fuel uplift after departure. Other services such as in-
flight catering, ground transport should also be made well in advance.”
For more information on operating to St Maarten and the Caribbean, visit
www.universalweather.com/blog.
About Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc.
You have a simple mandate: make every trip successful – no matter what. And your job isn’t
getting any easier. You have to manage stakeholders’ expectations, stay on top of regulatory
changes, be prepared for the unexpected occurrences that can happen – and do all of these with
fewer resources. By working with Universal, you drive risk out of these challenges by having the
ability to see all that feasible, understand and anticipate regulatory changes, and by having access
to a global community that can adapt and execute when trouble strikes. Keep the guarantees you
make to your organization by relying on Universal’s complete trip management services –
customized trip support, fuel management through UVair, worldwide ground support from
Universal Aviation, online flight planning, aviation SMS software, data link, flight scheduling
software, and much more.

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