Costa Rica mulls reviving Orotina airport project

Costa Rica is considering reviving the Orotina international airport project with a US$500mn proposal.

The project in Alajuela municipality emerged in 2017, during the Luis Guillermo Solís administration, which earmarked 1,940ha of land for the facility.

The current Rodrigo Chaves administration is considering building the airport at the same location, 50km from capital San José, daily Mundiario reported. 

The public works and transportation ministry (MOPT) reportedly commissioned a study to analyze feasibility, and the results showed a new facility is needed, albeit at smaller scale than originally envisioned.

Capex for the original proposal was US$2bn and included two 3km runways. The new proposal includes only one runway in the first stage.

The new project takes into account that the Juan Santamaría international airport, which serves the metropolitan area, could continue operation for 20 more years, but a new terminal will be needed by 2045, Mundiario quoted civil aviation director Fernando Naranjo Elizondo as saying.

Construction would take 10 to 15 years, so it is imperative to start working on pre-investment models, transportation plans, road and rail projects, Naranjo said. 

Orotina city claims the project is a lot more urgent. 

“Several studies document the big technical limitations [of Juan Santamaría airport] that prevent it from efficiently attending to current demands … among them are handling wide aircraft, growth and expansion capacity, aeronautic safety, among other technical aspects,” according to Orotina's website.

The president of tourism chamber Canatur, Rubén Acón, suggested that Limón airport could be refurbished as a short-term alternative.

The initial plan comprised the construction of an air terminal in Mastate, Coyolar and La Ceiba districts, which would connect to the greater metropolitan and central Pacific area, according to an analysis by British firm Mott MacDonald carried out eight years ago.

Chaves initially ruled out the proposal and later said that funds were lacking.