Passenger Arrivals Exceed Expectations
The Beach Times

Operations staff at Daniel Oduber International Airport in Guanacaste have been forced to adjust their passenger forecasts following another record month at the country's second busiest airport.

Officials now estimate 312,000 passengers will come through the airport by the end of the year, up nearly 40,000 people on what they had previously forecast.

If that happens it will mean the airport use has increased about 60 per cent in just 12 months.

Those estimates were borne out in figures released that week, which showed more 27,378 passengers came through the airport in April, up 61 per cent on 2004. It was the fourth, record-breaking month in a row for the airport, which has seen 130,000 thus far this year.

Delta, which pioneered direct flights into Liberia Airport, remains the biggest US carrier, ferrying more than 31,000 people into Guanacaste so far this year. They have captured more than 24 per cent of the market.

Continental, which currently schedules three flights a week into Liberia, announced this week it would be going to daily flights in June.

"We are hoping to lift our market share into Liberia," he said. "In June will go back to seven flight s a week, and in July we will add a second, Saturday flight."

Continental flies Boeing 737-800s out of Houston.

American Airlines will also look to increase the number of flights in operates from its Miami hub. It currently operates three a week, and in April carried about 3100 passengers to and from Liberia.

"We are looking at increasing the number of flights, in fact looking at going back to daily flights into Liberia, but we cannot say when," said Leopoldo Hernandez Sales manager for American Airlines.

"July is something we are looking at but we will have to see," he said.
Mr Hernandez said American Airlines was extremely happy with the way their operations were working into Liberia.

"Our flights are running at 85 to 90 per cent capacity," he said.

Air Canada and US Air, which both began operations into Liberia recently, are believed to be looking at increasing the number of flights each week. United is reportedly looking at starting a service out of its Chicago hub, possibly in November.