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Surinam Airways, also known as Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij (SLM) or by its initials SLM, is the flag carrier of Suriname, headquartered in Paramaribo. Established in 1953 and wholly owned by the Government of Suriname, it operates from its hub at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport (PBM). Serving 10 destinations across the Caribbean, North America, South America, and Europe, SLM provides regional and long-haul scheduled passenger and cargo services. With a fleet of leased Boeing 737s and an Airbus A340, the airline emphasizes Surinamese hospitality, offering multicultural cuisine and personalized service. Despite financial challenges, including a 2022 recovery plan backed by government gold reserves, and operational issues like delays and customer service complaints, SLM continues to expand, adding routes like Barbados in 2023. Its commitment to safety, sustainability, and community engagement underscores its role as a vital link for Suriname.
Surinam Airways traces its origins to 1953, when entrepreneurs Ronald Kappel and Herman van Eyck founded the Kappel-Van Eyck Aviation Company to operate feeder flights within Suriname. Scheduled operations began in January 1955 with two Cessna 170Bs flying between Paramaribo and Moengo. On August 30, 1962, the Surinamese government acquired the company from van Eyck, renaming it Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij (SLM) or Surinam Airways. The airline operated an extensive domestic network until 2005, using aircraft like Douglas DC-3s and Twin Otters.
International services started in 1964 with a pool agreement alongside ALM Antillean Airlines and KLM to operate flights to Curaçao, with stops in Georgetown and Port of Spain. Following Suriname’s independence on November 25, 1975, SLM was appointed the national airline and launched transatlantic flights to Amsterdam using a leased KLM Douglas DC-8-63. By March 1980, the airline employed 400 staff and operated a fleet including a DC-8-63, a DC-8-50CF, and three Twin Otters, serving destinations like Amsterdam, Belém, Curaçao, Georgetown, Manaus, Miami, and Panama City, alongside domestic routes.
The 1980s saw regional routes flown with a leased Boeing 737-200 and transatlantic services using leased DC-8s from Arrow Air. A tragic accident occurred on June 7, 1989, when Flight 764, a DC-8-62, crashed on approach to Zanderij Airport, killing 176 of 187 on board, marking Suriname’s deadliest aviation disaster due to pilot error and inadequate crew training. From 1993 to 1999, a DHC-8-300 Dash 8 served regional routes, followed by McDonnell Douglas MD-87, DC-9-51, and MD-82 aircraft. By March 2000, SLM had 543 employees.
In 2004, SLM purchased a Boeing 747-300 from KLM for Amsterdam flights, retiring it in 2009 for a leased Airbus A340-300. In 2009, two Boeing 737-300s replaced the MD-82s, and in 2018, two Boeing 737-700s were leased. A Boeing 777-200ER briefly operated in 2019–2021 but was returned due to maintenance issues. Financial struggles prompted a 2022 recovery plan, using government-owned Grassalco’s gold stock as collateral for a financing facility to reduce expenditure, including leasing a Boeing 737-800. As of early 2025, an Airbus A340-600 supports the long-haul Amsterdam route. In December 2023, SLM launched flights to Barbados, enhancing Caribbean connectivity.
As of June 2025, Surinam Airways operates a fleet of three aircraft: two Boeing 737-700s (PZ-TCS, PZ-TCT) for regional routes and one leased Airbus A340-600 for long-haul flights to Amsterdam. The 737-700s, leased from DAE Capital and Aircastle, feature 12 Business Class and 126 Economy Class seats, with a 30-inch pitch in Economy. The A340-600, configured with Business, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins, supports the Paramaribo–Amsterdam route. The fleet’s average age is approximately 15 years, with leased aircraft ensuring flexibility amid financial constraints.
SLM’s sustainability efforts focus on operational efficiency, with fuel-efficient Boeing 737-700s reducing emissions on regional routes. The airline aims to minimize its environmental footprint through optimized flight planning and waste reduction, though specific sustainability initiatives are limited due to financial challenges. Cargo services, operated under the “We do cargo the right way” motto, provide competitive rates to destinations worldwide, supporting economic sustainability.