• The terminal will have the novelty of eight Self Bag Drop equipment and 45 new self-check-in stations.

October, 2023. Self-service technology will be the main novelty at Juan Santamaría International Airport (AIJS) to meet the influx of passengers and operations for the high season that will run until April 2024.

“An exciting period is ahead for the airport, in which we will find ourselves ready to reconfirm that we are the gateway to PURA VIDA experiences. This preparation responds to the coordination we carried out of a Capacity and High Season Report with stakeholders involved in the passenger-aircraft care processes, such as government entities, air operators, commercial subcontractors, Civil Aviation, to name a few,” said Ricardo Hernandez, executive director of AERIS, interested manager of AIJS.

As a pilot test, eight Self Bag Drop devices will be implemented, which will allow passengers who meet the requirements to drop off their baggage only with the supervision of an airline agent.

Passengers will be required to use the self-check-in kiosks to print their baggage tags and then place them on their bag. These tags contain information such as the passenger’s name, flight number and destination.

Travelers will then have to move to the airline’s Self Bag Drop area, where they will use the equipment to scan the baggage stub, weigh the suitcase, verify that the tags match the flight information and hand it over to the airline agent.

The bags are then automatically moved through a conveyor belt for loading onto the aircraft.

The average bag delivery time, once the baggage check is completed and the baggage tag is placed, will be 1 minute, evidencing that the process is streamlined and time reduced by allowing passengers to tag and check their own bags prior to boarding. Users are advised to check with their respective airline to see if this service will be available at AIJS.

More technology. Likewise, 45 new self-check-in kiosks will be installed, with which the air ticket can be scanned and registered with the respective airline. These will speed up the process in between 30 and 50 seconds.

Passenger information screens are also being replaced for better orientation. The first phase consisted of the replacement of 56 screens inside boarding lounges and the second phase will consist of the replacement of 89 screens at check-in counters, a process scheduled to be completed by December 2023.

“As the main gateway to the country, we seek to offer an optimal level of service to users in conjunction with the entire airport community. We verify the details, carrying out in-depth preventive maintenance to electromechanical equipment (boarding bridges, baggage belts, carousels and stairs), as well as electrical systems for proper operation,” commented Juan Belliard, AERIS Director of Operations.

Actions of the Immigration Police. In order to make the processes more efficient, the human resources of the Immigration Police will focus on the management of the queues and good operation of the process prior to the service.

“To meet this objective, the Professional Immigration Police has a human resource of 146 officers, which was strengthened with more officers, distributed in working groups, which are mobilized according to the number of passengers flowing through the different areas. It is important to mention that the dynamics of the Juan Santamaría International Airport is very different from other checkpoints and is adjusted to the distribution of flights previously coordinated by the Airport Manager (AERIS) and the General Directorate of Civil Aviation”, explained Marta Vindas, general director of Immigration and Foreigners.

Recommendations. Despite the application of technology to facilitate passenger processes, AERIS makes the following recommendations for people who will travel during this high season:

• Arrive three or four hours earlier: Take into consideration the different road works that are being carried out in strategic points of Alajuela, which may generate congestion.
• Make the process of web or mobile check-in: According to the offer of each airline, in order to minimize check-in time at the airport.
• Read beforehand the contents of the airline’s website: Especially on issues such as prohibited items, liquids and gels, immigration requirements, travel with minors or pets, among others.

About AERIS Costa Rica

AERIS HOLDING COSTA RICA is a company of the CCR Group, which operates under the management model interested in the Juan Santamaría International Airport (AIJS), being in charge of its operation, maintenance, rehabilitation, construction, financing and promotion.

The company seeks to exceed the expectations of its stakeholder management contract in a transversal manner to sustainability, generating social, environmental and economic value. AERIS is committed to providing a “Pura Vida” travel experience for passengers transiting through the main gateway to the country and to generate positive impact to Costa Rica and its stakeholders.

AERIS draws on the experience of its parent companies: HAS Development Corporation and Grupo CCR of Brazil, the latter as the main shareholder and with stakes in the international airports of Quito Ecuador, Curacao and Belo Horizonte in Brazil.

It currently connects Costa Rica with 36 destinations around the world, through 25 international commercial airlines and two domestic airlines that operate in its facilities.

AERIS obtains recognition for promoting and encouraging hygiene measures at Juan Santamaría Airport. 

• Interested manager renewed the certification granted by Bandera Azul Ecológica and the Sello de Calidad Sanitaria Program in the category of Hygiene Promotion.
• It is the only company related to the airport and aeronautical industry to have obtained the award recently.

October, 2023. AERIS, administrator of the Juan Santamaría International Airport (AIJS), obtained for the third time the blue award promoted by the Ecological Blue Flag Programs together with the Sanitary Quality Seal Program, in the category of Hygiene Promotion, with a score of 92.5 points for its actions carried out during 2022. As part of the recognition, it also achieved a white star and a silver star.

The manager concerned was recognized for promoting and fostering a culture of hygiene and cleanliness at the air terminal through education, access to drinking water and sanitation services managed in a safe manner, with the purpose of minimizing the spread of infectious diseases, as well as enteric (affecting intestines and stomach) and respiratory diseases in the population.

“For AERIS the renewal of this certification evidences the commitment to guarantee a PURA VIDA experience to passengers transiting through the country’s most important air terminal. We are very proud, as hygiene is an essential component to achieve a responsible and sustainable airport operation,” said Ricardo Hernandez, executive director of AERIS.

So far, seven companies in the country have won this award so far this year, with AERIS being the only company related to the airport and aeronautical industry to have won it recently.

To be awarded, registered companies must annually demonstrate mandatory compliance with the following parameters:

• Proper management of water for human consumption
• Adequate treatment and disposal of wastewater
• Application of the hygiene protocol, disinfection of facilities and hand washing.
• Integral solid waste management

As for the complementary guidelines, which include star recognition, the program states that a white star is obtained if the company achieves a score of 90 to 99 in the evaluation of the final report. As for the silver star, it is earned if a certification of affiliation to the Ecoins platform (a system that facilitates waste recycling and grants benefits in exchange) is presented or if the certification of the collection center authorized by said platform is attached.

“At Juan Santamaría Airport we maintain high standards for the care of people’s health, so our efforts are focused on ensuring a clean, orderly and safe space for travelers. Hygiene, adequate access to clean water and sanitation are vital to prevent and contain diseases,” said Adriana Bejarano, head of Environment, Health and Safety at AERIS.

AERIS won this award for the first time in 2020, the second time in 2021 and after not participating in 2022, AERIS will receive it for the third time in 2023.

The Hygiene Promotion category was created thanks to an alliance between the Ecological Blue Flag Program and the Sanitary Quality Seal Program of the National Water Laboratory of the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewerage (AyA).

About AERIS Costa Rica

AERIS HOLDING COSTA RICA is a company of the CCR Group, which operates under the management model interested in the Juan Santamaría International Airport (AIJS), being in charge of its operation, maintenance, rehabilitation, construction, financing and promotion.

The company seeks to exceed the expectations of its stakeholder management contract in a transversal manner to sustainability, generating social, environmental and economic value. AERIS is committed to providing a “Pura Vida” travel experience for passengers transiting through the main gateway to the country and to generate positive impact to Costa Rica and its stakeholders.

AERIS draws on the experience of its parent companies: HAS Development Corporation and Grupo CCR of Brazil, the latter as the main shareholder and with stakes in the international airports of Quito Ecuador, Curacao and Belo Horizonte in Brazil.

It currently connects Costa Rica with 36 destinations around the world, through 25 international commercial airlines and two domestic airlines that operate in its facilities.