Review of Surinam Airways Business Class

Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport is the only international airport in Suriname capable of handling international flights by jet aircraft. The airport has been operational since the 1920s and is today named after Johan Adolf Pengel, a popular Surinamese politician and former Prime Minister. The airport is located in the town of Zanderji, around 45 kilometres from the capital Paramaribo.

The small airport only handles a few flights per day, making it easy to navigate. A US$205 million expansion and modernisation plan was launched a decade ago and is still underway. Parts of the airport are new and up to date while others, such as the lacklustre check-in hall, are still in need of major upgrades. The spacious departure hall hosts a variety of shops ranging from the usual duty-free shop to small boutiques selling local designer jewellery, clothing, and souvenirs. There are not yet any airbridges. Aircraft park out on the airport apron and passengers simply walk across from the terminal building. Buses are available in case of inclement weather and assistance is provided to those who need it.

Immigration formalities on arrival at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport can be slow. This is usually not a problem for Business Class passengers who exit the aircraft first, but for those looking for peace of mind and a guarantee to skip the line, a meet & greet VIP service can be booked directly from Surinam Airways - at a surcharge.

All services associated with premium travel are available to Business Class passengers, including dedicated premium check-in desks, priority baggage, fast-track security and a dedicated Business Class lounge. Surinam Airways starts boarding its widebody flights almost an hour before departure, but an announcement is made inviting Business Class passengers to relax in the lounge - and board last.

The Sabaku Lounge is located one floor above the departure hall at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport and provides Business Class passengers with comfortable seating, Wi-Fi, a business centre, washrooms and a self-service buffet. The food offering typically includes sandwiches, fresh fruit, salads, desserts, and a few hot items such as sliders, soup, and satay with peanut sauce. Coffee, juices, soft drinks, wine, and liquor is readily available, with the local Parbo Bier lager available on tap.

At Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Business Class passengers are invited to use the Swissport Aspire Lounge 41, located one floor above the departure hall.

As Surinam Airways currently does not operate its own aircraft, the cabin and seat depend entirely on who is providing the aircraft. The airline has however clearly set standards for which cabin experience it wants to offer. Since the start of 2022, two identical Airbus A330-200s from Wamos have been alternating on the Paramaribo to Amsterdam route. Both aircraft received new cabin products in January 2022 and offer a high-quality Business Class experience that Surinam Airways says is representative of what the airline will offer once it has its own aircraft again.

The A330-200 offers 20 Business Class seats in a relatively standard 1-2-1 staggered forward-facing configuration over five rows. The same Stelia Aerospace-made seat is used by several airlines and is well received by most passengers. Each seat has direct aisle access, but all seats are not equal. On rows 1, 3 and 5, window seats are placed flush along the windows with excellent privacy, while the two centre seats are placed close together in the middle of the cabin. These “honeymoon seats” offer a relatively private “cocoon” for couples but can be awkward if seated next to a stranger. On rows 2 and 4, all seats are placed close to the aisle, making them more exposed. They may however be a preferred option for passengers travelling together with someone and wanting to be able to speak, but without being too close for comfort. The best seats for sleeping are the window seats in odd numbered rows due to increased privacy and a footwell that is open to the side towards the window, allowing more wiggle room for feet.

The soft and comfortable seats have been nicely upholstered in tones of grey leather with stylish diamond stitching and transform to a fully flat bed at the touch of a button. A control panel allows full customization of the seat positions but also includes pre-set positions for sleeping, relaxing and fully upright. A decent massage function is available, as are buttons to control lights and call for cabin crew attention. Tray tables swivel forward if needed, so you are not trapped in your seat during meals.

Universal power plugs are available at each seat but there is no USB-port.

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes images, videos and seat maps for most airlines and aircraft. Search results also include details such as seat pitch, width and recline. This way you can see the seat and cabin configuration of the flight in which you are interested, before making your choice.

Printed menus are distributed before departure, detailing what is offered both for the outbound and return flights. As the Amsterdam to Paramaribo service is a daytime flight, the meal service is more elaborate than on the Paramaribo to Amsterdam overnight flight, where a somewhat abbreviated version is offered to allow for maximum sleep.

The main meal service on the daytime flight starts with white tablecloths being carefully placed on each table. The starter, a bread plate, butter, and cutlery are then distributed on linen-linen trays, with a selection of rolls served from a breadbasket. More rolls are also offered later during the meal service. The same starter is served to everyone and may be accompanied by delicious, pickled vegetables – a creative addition. A classic starter in Surinam Airways Business Class is Ayam Goreng – tasty Indonesian chicken fillet with vegetables.

In Business Class, Surinam Airways offers three different choices of main course for the main meal. Typically, one option is chicken, one is fish and one is beef. Suriname is a truly multicultural nation, and this is reflected in the menu. Expect Asian alternatives such as chicken with Indonesian Rudjak sauce, Asian vegetables and fried rice, fried seabass with herb butter, potato gratin and broccolini, or braised brisket with demi-glace sauce, country potatoes with rosemary and roasted vegetables. There is always something Asian and something European. Sambal - a traditional Indonesian chili paste - is proactively offered to everyone interested in spicing up their meal.

The main course is followed by a sweet dessert or cheese – or both if you ask nicely and enough has been catered. Coffee is offered with the dessert, but cabin crew are happy to serve it after the meal if this is your preference.

As on most airlines, the second meal service is simpler than the first. On the daytime flight from Amsterdam to Paramaribo, the second meal offers a choice between a hot Indonesian style noodle dish or a cold salad, followed by ice cream. On the overnight flight from Paramaribo to Amsterdam, two hot breakfast options are available – one egg based and one sweet – accompanied by fruit and Danish rolls.

While most food served in Surinam Airways Business Class is of a high quality, meals are generally better when departing from Amsterdam than from Paramaribo.

While some airlines today serve restaurant-style meals in Business Class with main dishes plated on board and no trays, the meal service on Surinam Airways is more traditional and still uses trays. On the daytime flight, the main meal is however served course-by-course with cabin crew serving main courses, cheese, and dessert from the galley at the pace of each passenger.

Snack baskets are placed at the front of the Business Class cabin, containing individual packages of potato crisps, popcorn (both salty and sweet), cashew nuts, chocolates and traditional Dutch Stoopwafel. This offering is branded in the menu as Sky Break and is clearly appreciated by passengers. About 2/3 into the daytime flight from Amsterdam to Paramaribo, Beckleberry´s Gourmet Ice Cream from the UK with a crispy waffle on the side is proactively offered.

Overall, meals are tasty and filling – getting the basics right. The service concept may not be the most elegant in the sky, but meals are satisfying, and you will certainly not go hungry when flying Surinam Airways Business Class.

Surinam Airways offers an impressive beverage list, although what is presented in the wine list may not be what is actually on offer. Good alternatives are available, and the crew can advise on the wines served.

The list includes three whites and three reds, plus a rosé, and includes a mix of old and new world wines. The list indicates that the Champagne served in Surinam Airways Business Class is the rather basic Baron-Fuenté Tradition Brut, but in reality the offering may be different. Do not be surprised if the more premium Champagne Piper-Heidsieck Brut is served as a nice upgrade. In addition to Champagne, a sparkling Italian Moscato is also on offer.

The beer selection is clearly intentional, featuring Parbo Bier from Surinam and Heineken from the Netherlands. A wide range of spirits, aperitifs and liqueurs are also available.

A recurring issue on the Suriname Airways flights operated by Wamos is that sadly, wines and other beverages that are typically served cold are not as chilled as they should be. If you mention this to cabin crew, they are however happy to place a bottle on ice to chill properly.

If your poison of preference is a classic G&T, a nice touch is that cabin crew bring the gin bottle, a can of tonic and a glass with only ice and lemon on a tray to your seat, allowing you to decide how strong you like your drink. Similarly, if you ask for a glass of Champagne, it is poured at your seat.

A wide range of non-alcoholic beverages are available, including high quality freshly squeezed juices, ice-tea, juices, soft drinks, and several types of water. One of the sparkling waters on offer is Perrier, a brand more commonly seen in First Class.

Colombian coffee and an assortment of teas are available, but no specialty coffees such as espresso or Cappuccino are offered.

Individual water bottles are distributed to all Business Class passengers after the main meal service.

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes information on which Champagne is served in Business Class and First Class on many airlines. We do our best to keep track of any changes, but feel free to let us know if there is something we missed. 

As Surinam Airways is currently not operating any of their own flights - they have placed their trust in Wamos to operate their flagship route. The experience is interesting, as Spanish cabin crew serve on behalf of Surinam Airways. Service is in reality a mix of protocols from both airlines, but it seems to work out well. Wamos cabin crew are dedicated to the route for 21 days at a time, shuttling back and forth across the Atlantic. This makes the experience consistent and allows cabin crew familiarise themselves with Surinam Airways service standards. As Dutch is the official language both in Suriname and the Netherlands, the airline has made sure that there are several Dutch speaking crew members on each departure.

Wamos crew working for Suriname Airways are professional and efficient if not overly friendly. There are elements of finesse in how things are done, crews pass through the cabin regularly and every request is attended to with precision. What is missing is of course the local touches one can usually expect from national airlines.

Each seat comes with a high-definition touchscreen that can also be controlled by a traditional remote control. The Safran Rave-made inflight entertainment system is responsive, easy to use and offers a basic but acceptable selection of movies and television series. There are 34 movies - primarily from Hollywood and 29 episodes of eight different television series. Each series offers 2-4 episodes. No music is however provided. A good quality moving map allows passengers to keep track of flight progress.

A disappointment is the cheap and flimsy single-use headphones that are distributed before departure. They may be acceptable in Economy Class but not in a premium cabin.

Wi-Fi is currently not available on Surinam Airways.

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes information on WiFi and inflight entertainment.

Surinam Airways may be a small airline with only one long-haul route, but that is not stopping them from providing their own branded amenity kits. The best thing about the amenity kit is the pouch itself, which has been cleverly designed with several internal pockets and a hook that allows it to be hanged, e.g. in a bathroom. It is one of the more re-usable amenity kit pouches out there. Contents are rather basic, but include socks, a comb, a toothbrush, ear plugs and a Macadamia lip balm.

A comfy but very small pillow is provided at each seat upon boarding, along with a nicely designed Surinam Airways-branded blanket. There are no duvets, but that makes sense as the cabin is kept quite warm. A mattress pad would have been useful as sleeping on leather can get rather warm.

Hot towels are provided twice during the flight.

Before the pandemic, Surinam Airways used to offer a dedicated Business Class cabin with wide recliner seats on their B737-700 operated regional routes. At the time of writing, the wet-leased Airbus A320 aircraft currently used for these routes does not offer Business Class, meaning that any connecting flights on Suriname Airways are in Economy Class.

Suriname is sometimes referred to as the greenest country on Earth, with 94% of the country – some 15.3 million hectares - covered by rainforest. In fact, Suriname is considered a carbon negative country as its abundant forests absorbs more greenhouse emissions than the country emits, effectively contributing to global climate stability. Surinam Airways is aware of its role as a national carrier, and is focusing on eco-friendly operations including waste management and recycling programs, green procurement for supplies and safe disposal of chemicals. The Surinam Airways Corporate Social Responsibility policy outlines how the airline is balancing the 3 P’s of Profit, People and Planet. A cooperation is in effect with Suriname Conservation Foundation, which is dedicated to biodiversity and the protected areas of Suriname, and the airline also sponsors selected initiatives carried out by and for the Surinamese community.

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes information on CO2 emissions for each flight. Our quality algorithms also give a higher score to flights operated by the most modern and environmentally friendly aircraft.