Atlas Air 747-400F Makes It In Before Curaçao Airport Shutdown
Atlas Air’s Boeing 747-409F N438GT shortly after touching down on runway 11 in Curaçao.
On March 8th, I headed out to photograph an interesting visitor: Atlas Air Boeing 747-400F N438GT.
Getting to my intended spotting location turned out to be more complicated than expected. The main road leading toward Hato International Airport was closed by police, for what I assumed for a traffic accident. After trying several alternate routes, which were also closed by police, I was able to find a way through only to learn that there had been a security incident at the airport and the terminal was being evacuated.
The cargo Queen of the skies taxies toward the airport’s cargo ramp.
At that point, flights were still operating, but it was clear that the situation would escalate quickly. With the Atlas Air 747 inbound, I wasn’t sure if it would make it in before operations were suspended.
A heavily-loaded N438GT departs on March 9th.
Fortunately, the aircraft arrived without issue. Not long after, a NOTAM was issued closing the airport, and several inbound aircraft were forced to divert or delay their departure.
N438GT departed the following morning, March 9th, bound for Campinas Viracopos International Airport (VCP/SBKP), Brazil.
With the Caribbean sea as backdrop, N438GT heads to its next destination, VCP/SBKP.
© 2026 Patrick Lalande. All rights reserved.
