May 20--The Costa Rican Chamber of Hotels (CCH) called a decision announced last Friday by Avianca-TACA airline to eliminate five nonstop flights to Costa Rica "despicable."

The chamber criticized the airline for announcing the move only 18 hours in advance.

In a statement on its website on Monday, the CCH demanded the government "take immediate action," adding that although the chamber recognizes "it is a private company's decision, ... flight rights granted by the Costa Rican Civil Aviation Administration also involve duties."

"This is not a matter of national pride, it is clearly an economic issue. The cancellation of these flights endangers some 20,000 monthly airline travelers that we will lose from nonstop flights," the chamber stated.

The CCH demanded the Civil Aviation Administration, the Costa Rican Tourism Board and President Laura Chinchilla take "the necessary steps to correct this situation, whatever the end result."

The Colombia-based airline announced Friday it is eliminating five nonstop flights to Costa Rica, which also means the dismissal of 261 employees in the country.

___

(c)2013 The Tico Times (San Jos�, CRI)

Visit The Tico Times (San Jos�, CRI) at www.ticotimes.net

Distributed by MCT Information Services