QCOSTARICA – Avianca airline announced on Thursday, August 12, the opening of six new direct routes from Costa Rica, connecting San José with Cali, Medellín, Los Angeles, New York, Managua, and Mexico.
The Colombian flag airline reported the expanded service from the Juan Santamaria International airport (SJO) in Costa Rica in a press release.
“The offer of direct connectivity from Costa Rica is essential and that makes our expansion plans from the country continue to strengthen,” explained David Alemán, Avianca’s general director for Central and South America.
Alemán recalled that, last month (July), the airline started the San José-Miami route, which has been a great success.
“We are announcing six new and nonstop routes to destinations that the passenger is asking for, with a product adjusted to the needs of travelers,” said Alemán.
Currently, in addition to Miami, Avianca has direct operations from San José to Bogotá, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
Read more: Costa Rica received 766,000 tourists by air after reopening of borders
The operation of new routes occurs after the airline carried out a plan to reorganize its business in Costa Rica, which implied eliminating routes and laying off personnel in the country.
Alemán explained that the decision was based on the need to offer customers greater connectivity from point-to-point flights.
“Costa Rica is an important market. Traditionally in Avianca”, said Alemán.
He added that Costa Rica’s plan to boost international tourism was key in adding the new routes.
“The long-term strategy was aligned, the market, for us to continue growing and the conditions (of support) that we have with the authorities of the country,” said the spokesperson.
The airline’s decision is part of a plan to strengthen its routes to Latin America.
In total, the airline announced the launch of 23 new international routes with new nonstop flights, in addition to Costa Rica, from Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and El Salvador.
“Launching 23 new routes until 2022 shows that we want to continue growing in a sustainable way and that we have the firm intention of continuing to be the airline with the most robust route network in our region,” commented Manuel Ambriz, Avianca’s Chief Commercial Officer.
¿Sabes lo que se viene? 🤔
✅23 nuevas rutas para llevarte más lejos ✈️
✅Más destinos 🌍
✅Más sillas🔝
¡VENIMOS RECARGADOS! ✈️.Conoce más en: https://t.co/BF0ylagkzT. pic.twitter.com/euhAS2o3o9
— Avianca Centroamérica (@AviancaCAM) August 12, 2021
The airline’s announcements follow last year it received authorization from the US courts of the reorganization plan to secure US$1.6 billion in commitments to finance its exit from the U.S. bankruptcy and reorganization law, Chapter 11.
“The airline is also advancing the interior reconfiguration of its aircraft and may have a very affordable price proposal and thus will also offer a greater number of seats per plane,” it is detailed in the statement released on Thursday.
The airline sought relief through a reorganization of its finances, to keep its business alive, in the midst of the blow received as a result of the covid-19 pandemic.
