(Photo Archive, illustration purpose only)

The digital migratory system that just this last week replaced the paper forms at the Costa Rica international airports caused long lines during peak hours at the Juan Santamaría Airport, to the point were some of the lines were outside of the building.

Apparently, the new control system denominated SIMMEL which is replacing the old landing or TIE card that was filled manually by each traveler, instead of speeding up the process and making it more efficient has generated delays in the few days after its implementation because now some of the information that was provided by the user has to be entered by the desk personnel

According to airport personnel the problem has more to do with an article in the law that should have been changed before making the switch to the new system since now it’s the airport personnel that has to fill up additional information.

The problem is expected to be resolved before the beginning of the high season.

On the other hand, the Juan Santamaría International Airport began the construction of block V (west), as a response to the increase in the number of passengers and the number of new airlines. AERIS, company that manages the operations at the Airport had estimated a growth in 2017 to be of 8% but it has been close to 10% while in 2016 it reached 12%. The delays in the construction of a new airport in Orotina, forces the expansion of the main Costa Rica airport.

“The expansion of the Juan Santamaría Airport continues, and the Technical Council of Civil Aviation has just approved the recommendation made by AERIS that contemplates the construction of three boarding rooms to the west, what we call Block V; for the time being we are going to begin with the building of two”, explained Rafael Mencía, executive director of AERIS.