British Airways has announced the opening of a non-stop flight between London Gatwick airport and Juan Santamaría International Airport in Costa Rica starting May 4, 2016.
Twice-weekly service on Saturday and Wednesday, during the UK summer. During the winter, three flights will be offered, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
This will be BA’s first route to Central America, said Colm Lacy, the airline’s commercial director at Gatwick.
The Costa Rica Tourism Board estimates that the new route could move some 30,000 passengers per year. It could also attract more visitors from British Airways connections: to 130 destinations worldwide.
The route will be operated using Boeing 777 with capacity for 275 passengers with three categories of seats, opening the opportunity to different segments of travelers from the UK.
According to data from the Costa Rica Tourism Board, Europe is the second largest source market of tourists to Costa Rica after the U.S.
Last year, more than 370,000 European visitors arrived in Costa Rica on a tourist visa.
The new British Airways route could also boost foreign trade, as the aircraft have a high capacity for cargo, Tourism Minister Mauricio Ventura said.
