QCOSTARICA – The Salvadoran airline VECA (Vuelos Economicos de Centro America) has announced that as of February 25th it will begin operating three flights per week between San Salvador (SAL), El Salvador and San Jose (SJO), Costa Rica.
Direct flights will be operated on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
VECA intends to bring competition into the Central American market following the recent merger of Avianca and TACA. Several former TACA Airlines employees now work at VECA Airlines, after the absorption of TACA by the Colombian flag carrier.
In a statement, the airline said its aim is integrating Central America and expanding opportunities for everyone to fly.
Passengers will travel on Airbus 319 aircraft, with 144-seat all-economy.
The price of airfare, for February 27, for a round trip, is $206.58 (plus $29 departure tax in Costa Rica, not included in the ticket). A similar flight on the other airlines, for the same day, in economy, ranges is US$584 (Avianca) and US$674 (Copa).
VECA Airlines is owned by Sociedad Hasgar S.A. de C.V. and is El Salvador’s flag carrier established in late 2013 in San Salvador. It started operations on 28 November 2014 with regional services to major cities in Central America (San José and Panama City).
VECA was expected to start its services with two Airbus A319s leased from International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC). The first of these has been already delivered, and certified by the carrier, while the second one is being prepared in Miami ahead of its official handover to the carrier. Both aircraft will be configured in a single-class, 144-seat all-economy arrangement.
