No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsLatin AmericaAir transport in Central America lost 157 routes due to pandemic

Air transport in Central America lost 157 routes due to pandemic

Air transport from Central America and the Dominican Republic lost 157 routes last year due to the pandemic, which meant 11,095 flights stopped operating, reported the Central American Integration System (Sica).

“As a consequence of mobility restrictions and the slow recovery of international markets, the sector has reduced its operations, which has had a negative impact on the economy of member countries,” Sica said in a statement released Wednesday.

The entity did not detail the amount of the losses or the type of routes affected, though the region depends on international traffic, which represents 99.4% of its operations, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

To seek the “recovery” of the sector, the general secretary of Sica, Vinicio Cerezo, and IATA delegates, led by its regional vice president for the Americas, Peter Cerdá, discussed a joint strategy.

“The sector needs the support of the industry and the governments of the member countries of Sica in order to recover the levels it generated in 2019,” the entity said.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the airline sector in the region generated $27 billion and around 1.3 million jobs.

In 2019, the airline sector generated $591 million in Belize and $1.1 billion in both Guatemala and El Salvador. Meanwhile, Honduras received $744 million and Nicaragua obtained $867 million.

At the top were Costa Rica with $5 billion, Panama with $8.500 billion and the Dominican Republic with $9 billion.

To continue operating in the context of the pandemic, the aviation industry has adopted biosecurity measures at airports and on flights, and facilitated testing while countries implement vaccination plans.

Trending Now

Harvard’s Robert Waldinger Brings the World’s Longest Happiness Study to Costa Rica, Hosted by the UN-Founded University for Peace

One of the world’s leading experts on happiness and wellbeing is coming to Costa Rica, and time is running out to be part of...

El Salvador mural reimagines the Mona Lisa with recycled plastic caps

Made of plastic caps in many colors and sizes, Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa has a Latin American version: a 13-meter-tall mural erected...

Starbucks adds limited-time MrBeast tie-in drink at select Costa Rica stores

Starbucks stores in Costa Rica are offering the Cannon Ball Drink, a limited-time beverage tied to a partnership with content creator MrBeast. The drink...

FIFA’s Infantino “Very Reassured” on Mexico World Cup Security

FIFA boss Gianni Infantino said on Tuesday he was "very reassured" about Mexico's hosting of games in the football World Cup, in his first...

The International Arts Festival Returns to Costa Rica for Its 37th Edition

The International Arts Festival (FIA) returns to San José from March 20 to 29 for its 37th edition. The public event brings more than...

US Bases Proposed in Limón, Puntarenas and Guanacaste to Target Drug Traffickers

Fabián Silva Gamboa, a constitutional lawyer who advises President-elect Laura Fernández, proposed a reform to the Political Constitution that would allow the United States...
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica