T&T business group flies to Costa Rica Neal Rasmine in Costa Rica Guardian 05.25.03 Despite the seizure of two BWIA aircraft and fears of another, the airline's inaugural flight to Costa Rica went off without a hitch on Thursday. Launched with much fanfare in the Central American country, the three-and-half-hour direct flight is expected to be the start of a twice-weekly affair for the cash-strapped airline. It touched down at the Juan Santamaria International Airport in the nation's capital of San Jose after midnight. A large delegation of local officials were on board the Boeing 737-800, one of five aircraft left with the company after the International Leasing Finance Corporation seized two earlier this week. The airline is indebted to ILFC for TT$25 million, for the leasing of six 737s. Foreign Affairs Minister, Knowlson Gift; Ambassador Extraordinaire and Plenipotentiary, Jerry Narace; officials from Tourism and Industrial Development Company of T&T; the T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce and BWIA officials were on board the aircraft. Also included were BWIA Invaders Steel Orchestra and Shiv Shaki dancers. At Hotel Herradura, BWIA's corporate communications director Clint Williams said Government, through Tidco, had purchased 67 seats on the 154-seat inaugural flight and would continue to provide that support until the fight becomes profitable. Narace said Government was committed to the expansion of intra-regional trade and was "putting its money where its vision was." He said Government was prepared to spend US$14,000 per week until the airline can fill all the seats. The average price of a ticket to this county of four million people, costs $5,125 return while accommodation costs between US$280-US$1000. At a meeting hosted by BWIA and Tidco at Hotel Real-Inter Continental, T&T Chamber CEO Joan Ferreira told Trinidad and Costa Rica businessmen that the new route is expected to strengthen ties between them as well as promote inward investment and tourism. Notably absent was BWIA CEO Conrad Aleong who remained in Trinidad to answer allegations made by Prime Minister Patrick Manning that management was not being forthright with the government on the amount owed to ILFC. Government gave BWIA a TT$31.25 million (US$5 million) letter of comfort this week out of a proposed TT$116.8 million State loan to the airline to settle the debt owed to ILFC. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Mas Site: www.tntisland.com/tntrecords/mas2003/ Site of the Week: http://www.caribbeanfloral.com TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************