flying sansa
 

HI
We are flying from MA back to San Jose on Sansa air since its a half hour flight compared to 4 hour drive. I am really a little nervous about it. I know it will be fine. Can anyone give me any ideas on what it will be like. Thanks.

First small plane ride??

Sansa in CR was my first and I made it through and have continued to utilize the in country flights when possible.

OK - I was scared out of my wits, nearly in tears before take off, once we got up I was totally overwhelmed at the beauty before me. I was so busy taking pictures that I truly forgot my fears.

Now as you go across the mountains it will get a little bumpy even on a clear day. My husband had tried to prepare me for this before hand, although I still cut the circulation off to his fingers.

We always tend to split up our travel mode, so that we can experience as much as possible. I enjoy having the flights available and will continue to use them, although I still get a little apprehensive. That from someone that is petrified of heights.

Please feel free to ask all your questions, this is a concern for many.

Don't forget about the 25 pound weight limit per person. If the flight is full, that weight might include your carry on as well as checked luggage.

dfarmer

Nice to know someone feels just the way I do about those small planes .

Perhaps next time I will take Sansa or Nature Air... but all the way from home to Costa Rica , I will be apprehensive.

Maybe like you , once I am up there..the scenery will overwhelm me also..but we better not hit any air pockets!!!

I too have a fear of heights. In fact I do not even like being 5 foot 10 1/2 inches tall!!!

When I ride on a glass elevator outside of a very tall building...I face the back of the elevator....I do not even want to look down!!

Thanks for sharing your experience..I thought I was alone in this "chicken" environment !

Thanks Jean also..yes I know the limit is 25 pounds..do you pay extra if you are over weight!?

Percy

Percy

My first experience from SJ to MA was much like dfarmers and I didn't know what to expect until I walked out to the tiniest plane where my husband sat up with the pilot and I sat behind w/our bags. It took much tearful coaxing to get me on that plane, with threats of leaving me behind. We rose above a thunderstorm and then I couldn't get enough of the view below. Just keep in mind that these pilots do this every day and if you look up the Sansa schedule, they have many small planes flying every day of the week all over the country.

Hahaha, Percy you are funny.

Flying Sansa was very cool. Our plane was an older model, but very nice leather seats with shoulder harnesses. You sit right behind the pilots and if you sit close enough you can watch the control panel. Maybe it's smoothest over the wings. My kids thought it was a riot, especially at the Drake airport where 2 others waitted for the plane with us and we all had our boarding passes. I think flying in the small planes is safer than the big ones you'll fly into CR. I think the small plane pilots are actually flying the planes instead of a computer. Don't worry, it's really fun.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am scared of heights and hate to fly in big planes let alone little puddle jumpers. But I figure it is all part of the experience, my husband could care less about being in a small plane. I have been thinking about this for a while and didn't want to sound like a wuss for posting the question, but it does make me feel better to know that most of you have had a good experience. I also look forward to taking pictures. Its just the take off and landing that makes me nervous. But I can always close my eyes for those parts ;)

and yes it is my first small plane ride could ya tell??

Funny story .... When I first flew Sansa 14 yrs. ago it was on an old model DC-3 , we were so excited to be on this incredible adventure in Central America ( from little ole P.E.I ) that nothing fased us until we watched the pilot tie the door shut with some yellow rope because it did not close properly .... For a good part of the trip I was fixated on the crack from which I could see through !!!! Yikes ! ( all went well , we have never had any troubles whatsoever, so no worries ) We have used either Sansa or Nature Air on our 3 trips .... , Faith . ( those planes are retired I believe !!!! )

it made me a little nervous when they weighed us along with our luggage but other than that- I thought it was great!

I did not like it at all : I am afraid of heights, our flights were bumpy and alarms went on all the time :( but we are back safe….just a bad moment ...

I was more uncomfortable in the Sansa terminal at the San Jose airport than I was in the plane.

Look at it this way, if the Sansa Plane gets a flat tire, you can carry the small plane under your arm to the gas station. :)

Seriously, I flew on Sansa from Quepos to San Jose last March and it was fun. The views are spectacular and you do not shift back and forth in the plane. Do not worry.

Amid all the nice assurances that small plane flights are safe and fun, there is no mention made of the perils of the road. Drivers in Costa Rica take - err - unusual risks, particularly driving up hills in attempts to pass slow moving sugarcane loaded old trucks. No question in my mind: flying is lots safer than driving.
Carol L

Carol makes a good point. Costa Rica has one of the highest traffic fatality records in the world. We love to drive when there, but those stats are probably going to go up even higher now that so many tourists are on the roads--and that number also continues to climb at a steady rate.

We just got back from CR and flew Sansa three times. Quepos to San Jose, then San Jose to Pt. Jimenez. Then back again to San Jose.
All flights were on time. All planes were prop, 12 seaters. We had great weather so the flight was not that bumpy. I heard Nature Air has a little bit bigger plane. In San Jose, there is no storage of luggage, nor food service. There are bathrooms. Lots of taxi's hanging out thou. In Quepos there are drinks and pastries, bathrooms, and a nice open air seating area. Pt. Jimenez has a tin roofed cement bench. We stopped at Drakes Bay on our return to San Jose. The runway is not paved, the airport is a hut.
I am very scared of little planes. I never looked out the windows on the flight. But, we had very little bumps. I was very pleased with the flights.

I just got back too and had 4 flights total. The SJO-Quepos flights are so quick that you're there before you know it. Since I had 2 longer flights (SJO to P Jimenez & back) I ended up getting a scrip for anxiety which helped me on those. Just be aware clouds will make it a little bumpy. Also, utilize their pick-up/drop-off service, it's only $5 each. Have a great time & enjoy the view!

Tully - not familiar with this, can you tell us more? "utilize their pick-up/drop-off service, it's only $5 each"

Oh and Percy if you are still following this thread - I AM A CHICKEN and don't mind telling anyone. You are too funny! Take the chance it is certainly worth it.

Donna, sorry if I wasn't clear. From the Quepos airstrip, Sansa vans will take you to your hotel for $5 per person and will also pick you up. A taxi runs about $10 from what I remember so seemed like a good deal.