The Department of Civil Aviation will invest $8 million in designing an integral development plan for Costa Rica’s international airports. The master plans and indication of priority projects will be completed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

According to Bernal Mesén, director of Civil Aviation, the priorities are master plans for the Liberia Airport and the Southern Zone Airport near Palmar Norte. The southern airport must have the capacity to receive large airliners from Asia and Europe and will probably be located in the Sierpe Valley, next to the Térraba River.

The Liberia plan should be ready in April or May of 2007 and is to include plans for embarkation bridges, passenger areas, and areas for Customs and Immigration officials.

The ICAO will deliver the plans for the southern zone airport 5 months later, then will suggest improvements needed at the feeder airports of Sámara and Tamarindo, in Guanacaste; Palmar (Osa) and La Managua ( Quepos), in Puntarenas Province.