Some boarding lounges
opened at Juan Santamaría



By Helen Thompson
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff


Rodrigo Arias, minister of the Presidencia, cut a ribbon with the colors of the Costa Rican flag Friday to inaugurate new boarding salons that have more than doubled the size of the Juan Santamaría airport passenger facilities.

Eight boarding gates, four bridges and six immigration points were opened in a ceremony involving Karla Gonzalez, the transport mininster, and Arias, the president's brother, who said that the growth of the airport was of direct benefit to all Costa Ricans. The modernizations were begun in 2001 to cope with the ever increasing number of tourists.

“Next high season we are expecting 300,000 people each month to use the airport,” said Monica Nagel, the executive director of Alterra Partners, the company who carried out the work and manages the airport under a contract. “We are proud that our country is a growing tourist destination which generates employment for the whole country.” That number is about 15 percent more passengers who passed through the airport during high season last year.

The new salons, which total 4,400 square meters, represent a 130 percent increase in the size of the airport's waiting rooms, and up to 17 airplanes can park at the airport's gates at the same time. The $15 million update is not yet completed, however, with men still working on waiting rooms in the downstairs part of the airport.

I must admit, I haven't seen any hotties the last 2 times, but I'm sure it's just a lull. They do tend to go through them girls there...