Electrical Failure Grounds All Flights in Costa Rica

A general electrical failure in the radar systems at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), the country's main hub, led to the temporary closure of all of Costa Rica's airspace on the morning of Wednesday, September 24. The measure, which affects all arriving and departing flights, was implemented to ensure operational safety.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) of Costa Rica issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) identified as A244/25, which came into effect at 5:27 a.m. local time. The restriction covers a radius of 125 nautical miles (231 kilometers) around the center of the country, extending from the surface to an unlimited altitude.

This directly impacts operations at both the capital's Juan Santamaría airport, where about 100 flights between arrivals and departures are scheduled until 12:00 local time (15 GMT), and the country's second most important airport, Daniel Oduber Quirós (LIR) in Liberia, which has nearly 20 flights scheduled until that time.

According to the Costa Rican newspaper La Nación, the problem originated from a power supply interruption that affected air navigation services.

Marcos Castillo, the Director General of Civil Aviation, confirmed that technical teams are working intensively to resolve the issue. Although he did not provide an estimated time for the complete normalization of operations, the NOTAM initially establishes its validity until noon this Wednesday.

Impact on Operations and Airlines

The unscheduled interruption of air traffic control (ATC) services forced flights en route to Costa Rica to be diverted to alternate airports in neighboring countries, while departures from San José and Liberia were grounded. Airlines and air operators have activated their contingency plans to assist passengers affected by the situation.