Juan Santamaría’s Future Potential
Juan Santamaría International Airport is projected to operate optimally until 2045 and potentially even 2050, provided a series of crucial investments are made. These investments aim to accommodate larger-capacity aircraft and ensure the safe and efficient delivery of services to passengers.
Fernando Naranjo, the Director General of Civil Aviation, recently informed the Infrastructure Commission that the airport is far from reaching its saturation point or the end of its operational lifecycle.
For context, an airstrip can handle up to 140,000 operations yearly. Currently, Juan Santamaría’s strip witnesses around 80,000 takeoffs and landings annually. Other factors to consider include the number of airplanes using the strip hourly, the volume of passengers in the terminal, and airspace usage.
Key Investments for Maximum Capacity
To fully utilize the airport’s potential, several key improvements are needed. Naranjo pointed out the relocation of Coopesa’s facilities, expanding the taxiway to host wider-bodied planes, augmenting the terminal building, and other enhancements as detailed in the updated master plan.
Speaking of which, after agreeing to extend Aeris’ management contract by another decade (a strategy to mitigate the pandemic’s financial fallout), the company is set to introduce an investment plan by the first quarter of next year. This will detail the investments necessary to bolster the terminal for the coming ten years.
A Vision for 2045
Furthermore, the Director of Civil Aviation mentioned that the government is in the midst of creating an airport route slated for 2045, which is expected to be unveiled by the close of this year.
“We’ve often viewed each airport as an isolated node within the aviation system. Now, it’s the right time to view Costa Rica as an integrated airport system, and we’ve been working towards this,” Naranjo emphasized.
In light of the aviation industry’s transformation post-pandemic, Naranjo advises revisiting master plans every four years.
The need for an alternative to Juan Santamaría Airport has been debated for years. In fact, during Luis Guillermo Solís’ tenure, a proposal was pushed to construct an international terminal in Orotina. However, this idea was shelved during Carlos Alvarado’s administration due to high costs, the pandemic’s impact, and the belief that Juan Santamaría could meet the forthcoming demands.
