BIA:

Flamingo International Airport is the main gateway to Bonaire for its residents, the economy, and tourism. The organization Bonaire International Airport (BIA N.V.) is responsible for the management and operation of the airport.

As Route Development Manager, you are responsible for developing and expanding Bonaire’s air route network. You translate market insights into concrete opportunities, build strong airline relationships, and provide proactive, data-driven advice to management and stakeholders. Your work directly contributes to passenger growth, connectivity, and the long-term strategic goals of Bonaire International Airport.

Key Responsibilities

Route & Market Development

• Identify, develop, and strengthen new and existing air routes, with a focus on regional, North American, and South American markets;
• Conduct market, traffic, and feasibility analyses using limited and fragmented data, applying professional judgement and creative analytical approaches;
• Develop full business cases for new routes, including demand forecasts, yield assumptions, and cost benchmarks.

Advisory & Decision Support

• Provide proactive tactical advice to the Route Development Committee and senior management;
• Deliver requested and unsolicited advice on complex and sensitive route development topics;
• Prepare and support airline negotiations, with final discussions conducted together with the Director.

Stakeholder Management

• Actively manage relationships with airlines, tourism authorities, BONHATA (hoteliers), government bodies, and other external stakeholders;
• Chair the Route Development Committee (quarterly), coordinating inputs from internal and external parties;
• Align route development initiatives with tourism marketing efforts to support route performance.

Policy & Process Development

• Contribute to and further develop guidelines, procedures, and best practices for route development;
• Ensure alignment with company strategy and compliance with internal policies;
• Provide input for multi-year route development planning and annual operational plans.

Autonomy & Coordination

• Work independently within the defined scope, while escalating key decisions appropriately;
• Coordinate multiple route development initiatives simultaneously;
• Lead preparations for committees, pitches, and negotiations, managing expectations and uncertainties across stakeholders.

Complexity & Challenges

• Operating in a data-constrained environment requiring inventive and robust analysis;
• Balancing interests of multiple stakeholders with differing objectives;
• Managing complex negotiations with airlines and partners;
• Translating strategic ambitions into realistic, executable route opportunities.

What do we offer?

• A strategically impactful role at the heart of Bonaire’s connectivity development;
• High level of autonomy and direct exposure to senior management;
• Opportunity to shape the future air route network of Bonaire;
• Competitive employment conditions in a unique island environment.

Your profile:

Experience & Education

• 5–10 years of experience in aviation, route development, airline network planning, or business development;
• HBO / WO degree, preferably in aviation, economics, business, or marketing.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong analytical skills and creativity in working with limited data;
• Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills;
• Proven ability to influence and advise stakeholders at tactical level;
• Strong stakeholder management and networking capabilities;
• Confident, proactive, and commercially minded;
• Fluency in English is required; Dutch and Spanish are a plus (spoken and written).

Interested?

If you are passionate about aviation, route development, and building connectivity in a dynamic stakeholder environment, we invite you to apply and help shape the future of Bonaire International Airport.

Please note: A background check, medical examination, assessment test are all part of the selection procedure.