Four airlines have expressed their concern over the current state of the runway at Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (AIDOQ), located in Liberia, Guanacaste.
Arajet from the Dominican Republic, Colombia’s Avianca, Spain’s Iberia, and Switzerland’s Edelweiss, notified the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) that the runway’s state could compromise their operations at the airport.
This matter was extensively discussed during a meeting held by the Civil Aviation Technical Council (CETAC) on June 13. The airport is a key point of entry for international visitors to Costa Rica, with an anticipated passenger traffic of 1.5 million this year.
It’s also a very important spot for airlines when unfavorable weather conditions or other challenges prevent them from landing at the Juan Santamaría International Airport.
Fernando Naranjo Elizondo, the Executive Director of the DGAC, revealed to CETAC that these airlines no longer consider AIDOQ a viable alternate airport due to its failure to meet the required Pavement Classification Number (PCN) for their aircraft.
PCN is a standard defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and it indicates a runway’s load-bearing capacity, preventing excessive wear and tear.
Swiss airline Edelweiss communicated to the DGAC that operations at AIDOQ would not be feasible considering the current condition of the runway. The airline further cautioned that there might be difficulties fulfilling the flight scheduled for June 14.
Naranjo noted that the approach taken for the June 14 flight would likely apply to future flights, complicating the reinstatement of AIDOQ as a destination for the airline.
It’s worth highlighting that Edelweiss commenced operations between Zurich and Liberia in November 2021. Its operations are carried out using an Airbus A340-300 that allows the transportation of up to 334 passengers.
The company had also increased the frequency of its flights to twice weekly in September 2022. However, Edelweiss has not officially announced the termination of its operations between Zurich and Liberia.
Currently, an uncertain panorama surrounds this issue. Undoubtedly, regular maintenance and updates of airport infrastructure are crucial to ensure the safety and reliability of air travel. Authorities must act promptly, as this is one of Costa Rica’s most important airports.
