QCOSTARICA -The Juan Santamaría International Airport, better known as the San Jose airport (SJO), registered in July 2021, 66% of the incoming and outgoing passengers received in the same month before the pandemic, according to figures released by the manager of that air terminal, this Tuesday, August 17.
The data indicate that a total of 291,364 passengers passed through that terminal in the seventh month of the year, while in July 2019 the number was 438,084 travelers.
The Aeris statistics page indicates that since last February there has been a gradual increase in the number of passengers using that airport.
In January 2021, 166,608 passengers passed through the Juan Santamaría, which represented 31% of the total achieved in that same month of 2019. In February of this year, the sum dropped to 115,982 travelers, for 26% of the total for that month of 2019.
But from then on, the increase has been constant from month to month, although as of May the so-called low season or green season for tourism begins in Costa Rica.
Factors
After a year of reopening to international flights, after the closure due to the pandemic, 19 airlines already fly to Juan Santamaría, with flights to 23 destinations.
The firm highlighted the presence of new operators, such as Frontier flying to Miami and Orlando, both in Florida, US, and Iberojet strengthening connections with Europe and the city of Madrid, Spain.
At the itinerary level, meanwhile, all destinations in the United States were recovered and the city of Denver was even added; Los Angeles today has greater coverage than before the pandemic, thanks to United Airlines and Jetblue; and Miami with Frontier and Avianca.
Recovery is expected to continue
This recovery, albeit slow, is expected to continue according to Aeris, which this month turns 12 years as manager of the Juan Santamaría airport.
The recovery involves resuming the confidence of passengers from the moment they arrive at the air terminal, the airport manager said.
For this reason, it added, it sought to attract the attention of the passenger during this “complicated” period with commercial innovations that would improve the travel experience, that includes a new food area (food court) and the first shopping delivery platform in the terminal.
“Airports play a critical role in the aviation ecosystem and are crucial to the global economic recovery. At Aeris, we will continue to focus on making Juan Santamaría an increasingly competitive airport,” said Ricardo Hernández, Aeris CEO.
Watch the “official” protocol for COVID-19 inside the Juan Santamaría International Airport.
