• United Airlines will operate flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) to six U.S. cities this U.S. winter season: Denver (DEN), New York/Newark (EWR), Washington-Dulles (IAD), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), and Chicago (ORD).
• The airline has resumed flights to DEN, IAD, LAX and ORD from the SJO for the US winter season and has increased weekly operations to the six US cities compared to last winter in the US.

December, 2023. This winter season in the United States, passengers can travel to and from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) and the United States easier than ever with United Airlines.

United has resumed flights to the U.S. cities of Denver, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Chicago for the U.S. winter season, while also increasing service to these U.S. cities compared to last winter season. In addition, the airline has increased flights to Houston (Texas) and New York/Newark, which operate year-round.

This reactivation of U.S. destinations and increased service is United Airlines’ response to the peak season. In addition, with this announcement, United Airlines becomes the largest airline flying from the SJO and is the only airline offering non-stop flights to six U.S. destinations.

“As a gateway to Costa Rica’s pura vida experiences, we celebrate the resumption and increase of frequencies announced by United Airlines; because we are aware of the importance of the North American market for our country, and above all because it will be an additional incentive for more passengers to decide to travel during this high season,” said Erick Barboza, Director of Business Development for AERIS.”

This winter in the U.S., United will fly from Juan Santamaría Airport to Houston between 14 and 21 times per week, New York/Newark between 7 and 21 times per week, Denver and Los Angeles 2 times per week, Washington-Dulles between 1 and 2 times per week, and Chicago 1 time per week.

“With 33 years of service to Costa Rica, our commitment at United Airlines is to connect people and bring the world together, and the increase in frequencies and destinations to major U.S. cities allows us to have a wide network of travel options for our customers to meet their travel needs,” added Carlos Granados, Country Sales Manager Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

United Airlines will offer an average of 45 weekly nonstop flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport during the peak season from November 2023 to March 2024.

About AERIS Costa Rica

AERIS HOLDING COSTA RICA is a company of the CCR Group, which operates under the stakeholder management model at the Juan Santamaría International Airport (AIJS), taking care 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.

Currently, it connects Costa Rica with 37 destinations around the world, through 25 international commercial airlines and two domestic airlines that operate in its facilities.

About United Airlines

At United, good leads the way. With hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark/New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American airlines and is currently the world’s largest airline in terms of available seats. For more information about joining the United team, visit www.united.com/careers and for more information about the company visit www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol “UAL”.

Passengers at Juan Santamaría Airport can support children in vulnerable communities

• Costa Rica’s main air terminal dedicates a space for those interested in making a voluntary monthly contribution. With the funds raised in the last two months, 282 educational resource kits have been provided.
• Entities join efforts to create a safe space in a community near AIJS, so that children have access to protection from violence and discrimination and improve their educational opportunities.

December, 2023. Passengers transiting through the Juan Santamaría International Airport (AIJS) will be able to become donors for the benefit of vulnerable children, thanks to an alliance between AERIS, the airport’s manager, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

“AERIS establishes within its strategic lines of sustainability the support and generation of projects that benefit children’s education and child welfare. We are honored to work together with UNICEF, as it is an ally that identifies with our strategy and has a high reputation in terms of governance and generation of results,” said Ricardo Hernandez, CEO of AERIS.

The campaign supports UNICEF’s Hazte Socio initiative, which is being carried out simultaneously in more than 50 countries, and those interested can join with a voluntary monthly contribution. In the case of AIJS, there is a team identified to receive potential donors in a stand, which is located in the central aisle of the boarding areas of the main air terminal of the country.

During the month of October and November of this year, more than 470 new “partners” were counted, which translates into the contribution of 282 educational resource kits for children in vulnerable situations. The kits include supplies and materials for early childhood development. In addition, the initiative seeks to support schoolchildren with uniforms and computers.

“AERIS is a key ally given its interest in the development of various initiatives aimed at protecting the rights of this population, as well as reaching hundreds of people. In this way, UNICEF can raise awareness among members of the airport community about the issues affecting children and encourage the defense of their rights,” said Juan Manuel Baldares, Acting Representative of UNICEF Costa Rica.

How to donate at AIJS?

At the stand, registration and the first donation will be made through a tablet that has all the required data protection and security measures. With the clarification that, by internal policy and as a security measure, UNICEF does not receive cash.

Once the first disbursement is made, subsequent monthly donations of the agreed amount will be made automatically. In addition, members will receive periodic information in their e-mails about the positive impact of their contribution in the different programs to which they are destined.

Support for education

The focus of the alliance between AERIS and UNICEF is to support education by promoting the development of skills and school continuity in vulnerable populations in different areas of the country such as Los Chiles, Pococí, Sarapiquí, Tilarán, Puntarenas, Coto Brus, Talamanca, La Cruz, among others, with the expectation of generating a positive impact on more than 12,000 children.

This campaign has an execution period of one year; however, aligned with AERIS’ commitment to education and child welfare, it will be extended for as long as the parties agree, to address other issues such as nutrition, violence and inclusion.

“Both institutions are looking to develop other synergies for the benefit of children. Costa Rica’s main terminal will maintain its objective of contributing to the growth of new generations that are educated, protected, prosperous, healthy and resilient,” said Adriana Bejarano, head of Environment, Health and Safety at AERIS.

Similarly, as part of the joint work, a project is currently underway to create a safe space in the community Vistas de Santa Maria, in Alajuela, which is adjacent to the airport and is considered a vulnerable community, where there is an important opportunity to contribute to the development of children in the area of influence and impact of AIJS.

The plan includes the creation of this safe space for children to have access to protection from violence and discrimination and to improve their educational opportunities. The space will be equipped according to the needs of the children in the area, such as didactic resources and a sports area. The first phase of the project, which consisted of identifying the requirements of the underage population and their parents, was completed this year. In 2024, the space will be ready for use.

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 cross-cutting 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 37 destinations around the world, through 25 international commercial airlines and two domestic airlines that operate from its facilities.

About UNICEF: UNICEF works in some of the toughest places to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. In 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for all.

For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, please visit https://www.unicef.org/costarica.

For more media information, please contact: Ximena Alfaro, [email protected]

Ronny Gudiño, [email protected]

Xinia Miranda Cascante, UNICEF Costa Rica, [email protected]

• “Ella Es Astronauta” (She´s an astronaut), a program that inspires and empowers future leaders in STEAM careers, in partnership with NASA’s Space Center, has transformed the lives of more than 200 girls in 6 Latin American countries.
• AERIS, the interested manager of the Juan Santamaría International Airport, is one of the partners of the initiative.

December, 2023. Costa Rica will mark history again with the second mission of 10 girls and young women to travel to NASA’s Space Center Houston, with the “She Is Astronaut” program of the Colombian SHE IS Foundation, with the purpose of providing them access to STEAM education and empowering them to be future leaders and agents of change in their territories.

In the last 4 months, the 10 Tico girls and young women have been trained in STEAM areas and soft skills, through virtual sessions with NASA instructors and the great allies of the program such as Organon, Goya, Grupo INS, Mastercard, Nike, AERIS, Totto, EY, Masco, and United Airlines, who make the girls’ dream possible and promote female empowerment through education.

“This initiative is very much aligned with AERIS’ commitment to generate positive impact in Costa Rica, not only in the short term, but also for the next generations. What today is to provide young people with tools and promote equality, diversity and inclusion, tomorrow will be reflected in women leaders who will inspire others to perform in any industry they choose,” said Ricardo Hernandez, executive director of AERIS, the manager of the Juan Santamaria International Airport.

This December 4, the crew members will begin a new adventure in one of the largest space centers in the world and will be immersed in a unique learning environment at NASA’s Space Center Houston in Texas, United States. During this experience, they will be surrounded by female engineers, flight directors and astronauts who will share their life experiences, inspiring them to break stereotypes and become replicators of knowledge in the field of space exploration. In addition, they will be challenged to build rockets, robotics, programming, travel simulations, and lunar habitats, to foster their knowledge and provide them with tools on leadership and teamwork.

Elieth Mora, Hilary Corrales, Isabella Rosales, Kiara Rosales, Kteishe Villanueva, María Guevara, Mariana Rodríguez, Meylin Santana, Sofia Bermúdez and Tamara Brenes, the 10 young science and technology lovers, have become a great inspiration for those who dream of breaking down gender stereotypes and materializing their dreams, due to the conditions of vulnerability and poverty in which they find themselves, which has not limited them to pursue their dreams and become agents of change.

Their adventure in space exploration will mark the beginning of a trajectory that will undoubtedly inspire numerous young women to pursue their dreams. “Ella Es Astronauta is an opportunity to acquire much more knowledge and further develop my projects, my goals and my dreams, which I want to develop so I can apply them in my country and thus help generate a positive impact on people, mainly focused on those who struggle with anxiety, depression and addictions,” adds Mariana Sofia Rodriguez, a 16-year-old crew member from Alajuela, Costa Rica.

To bid farewell to the second crew, a press conference was held on November 30 at 10:30 a.m. at the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Hotel – Cariari city, Montezuma room. On this occasion, the crew members shared, along with their families and allies of the program, about their learning and expectations in this new mission that they will embark on at NASA.

About She Is

The Colombian Foundation “She Is”, started operations in 2016, with the mission of empowering girls and women in vulnerable conditions through entrepreneurship and education in science and technology. Over the last 7 years, it has benefited more than 16,900 girls and women through programs such as She Is Astronauta and She Is Esmeralda. It currently operates in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Panama.

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), taking care 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 37 destinations around the world, through 25 international commercial airlines and two domestic airlines that operate in its facilities.