EscucharSAN JOSE - Dozens of passengers stranded here and in Miami are the leading stars of a drama resulting from the cancellation of flights unexpectedly decided upon Aero Costa Rica, an airline which flew daily between San José and Miami and Orlando.
Some of the travelers were evicted from the hotel the airline had provided them in Miami, after the carrier failed to pay the bills. About 40 of them swamped the office of the Costa Rican consul in Miami, Carlos Murillo, with help requests.
Others found out in San José that their travel plans had been foiled because Aero Costa Rica's sole Boeing 727-100 was grounded at an airport in the United States.
Consul Murillo said that the Aero Costa Rica manager for North America, Víctor Quirós, had told him that the company has run out of money to reimburse tickets or to transfer them to other airlines.
Moreover, the diplomat stated fears about the number of passengers in trouble because, apparently, the sale of tickets had not stopped until last Saturday. Allegedly, some of the tickets were purchased in advance, for trips to take place next December.
Yesterday, the executive vicepresident of Aero Costa Rica, Hernán Azofeifa; the airline's assistant manager, Rodolfo Carrillo; and the legal representative of the carrier's shareholders, Juan Manuel González, admitted to La Nación that 75 per cent of the company's stock had been sold to Prestige International Investments Ltd, a Cayman Islands firm with headquarters in Miami.
They said that the negotiation took place the past September 23 and that the shares were sold for $3 million.
According to them, flights were halted because the new partner failed to pay the lease on the planes.
While they were not willing to discuss the current condition of the airline in detail, the officials pointed out that they are now focused on making travel arrangements for the stranded passengers.
Yesterday afternoon, the former majority shareholder of the airline, Calixto Chávez, issued a press release reporting the sale of the airline and apologizing for the troubles passengers are facing.
Chávez, a former Minister of Energy and Mines (1982-86), agreed with the other airline officials on the fact that, from now on, everything depends on the decisions of the new owners of the majority shares, Prestige International Investments Ltd.
La Nación yesterday contacted the treasurer of Prestige International Investments Ltd, Osiris Rosarios, at his office in Miami. However, he refused to make any statements. He only admitted that the company is preparing a press release to clear any doubts regarding the future of the airline.
The troubles of the administration seem to be as large as those faced by the passengers. Aero Costa Rica officials admitted yesterday that a check for $2 million issued by Prestige as a the first payment for the shares it purchased had been rejected by Barnett Bank of Miami because the account lacked enough funds.
Moreover, the 120 employees of the airline also face an uncertain future. They are waiting for the decision their new employer, Prestige, is expected to make in the next few days. According to sources close to the airline, flights are expected to resume next October 27, but that has not been confirmed by the new owners.
