QCOSTARICA – The Irish company, Irelandia Aviation, owner of Ryanair and other low-cost airlines, has chosen Costa Rica as its base of operations in Central America.
The company says it plans its first flights from Costa Rica to other Central American countries for US$50 plus taxes. (Airport tax in Costa Rica is US$29). A big difference than the current price of US$300 plus for a 20 minute flight between San Jose and Managua (Nicaragua), for example.
Declan Ryan and his wife were in Costa Rica last week, their second trip since first visiting two years ago, explained that Costa Rica is the best place to launch the Central American airline.
“Based on the attributes that Costa Rica offers we decided to do the groundwork here,” said Ryan.
The regional airline will be called Viva Can.
Irelandia Aviation Limited owns, develops, and manages low-cost carrier (LCC) airlines. In Latin America, Irelandia operates VivaAerobus in Mexico for the last 10 years. Three years ago it began operating in Colombia, VivaColombia, which currently includes low-cost flights between Panama and Colombia. In Europe it operates Ryanair; in Asia, Tiger Airways;, and in the U.S., Allegiant .
The company began offering low-cost charter flights between Costa Rica and the Mexican cities of Cancun (Quintana Roo) and Guadalajara (Jalisco).
Ryan added that it will be looking to hire some 200 including pilots, flight attendants and support staff for its operations in the country, and that although Costa Rica has higher wages (than other countries in the region), it hopes to compensate that with increased productivity by its workers.
The company expects to start operations June or July 2016.
