Media Kit
Client Information
| Company: |
Nature Air S.A. |
| Address: |
Hangar 27, Tobias Bolanos Airport |
| Country: |
San Jose, Costa Rica |
| Phone: |
(800) 235-9272 |
| Fax: |
06-232-2516 |
| Web Site: |
http://www.natureair.com |
| Email: |
ahuntley@natureair.com |
| Information & Reservations: |
(506) 299 6000 |
| Owner: |
NatureAir Holding PWC Trust |
| Media Contact: |
Alexi Huntley |
| Contact Phone: |
(506) 299-6043 or (506) 299-6040 |
| |
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Fact Sheet Table of Contents
The Mission of the Worlds First Carbon Neutral Airline
To offer travelers a reliable, innovative and fun airline to travel in Central America. Based in San Jose, Costa Rica NatureAir wants to help prevent further global warming, and keep the beauty of Costa Rica in its natural state.
NatureAir voluntarily compensates 100% of its carbon emissions, through its preservation of tropical forests. The company offsets more than 6,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually and uses carbon credits to help conserve Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, one of the region’s most biologically diverse rainforests. Since 2004, NatureAir has helped protect more than 200 hectares in Osa Peninsula. In addition, NatureAir keeps their carbon output down by improvements made in their operations, scheduling and flight plans.
The company is committed to opening up new destinations and offering both international travelers and local residents the opportunity to travel to 16 exciting destinations in minutes.
Nature Air Takes Off
More than eight years ago, no reliable airlines existed in Costa Rica or Central America serving adventure travel destinations. Services were often slow, chaotic and inconvenient for international and regional tourists. Whole communities were essentially cut off from the world in certain seasons. The catch was that these destinations were often the most beautiful and most in need of sustainable tourism projects.
The conditions were ripe for a new airline. Travel Air had been founded by two Alaskan bush pilots in 1990. The original owners had a handful of routes to select tourist destinations in Costa Rica. Meanwhile, a consulting company called Naturegate out of San Francisco, California was working in Central America on sustainable tourism projects. The Naturegate team knew from personal experience that road travel was long, arduous and even dangerous. They also struggled with the viability of tourism projects in beautiful destinations, but without adequate transportation infrastructure.
In 2000, when working on a sustainability project in Costa Rica – Alex Khajavi, CEO of Naturegate, found out that Travel Air was for sale. Without any airline experience, but with more than 25 years in tourism and investment banking, the Khajavi family essentially sold their homes, packed their bags and moved to Costa Rica permanently to run the newly formed airline- NatureAir.
Shortly after the establishment of NatureAir, September 11 happened and the nascent company faced its biggest challenge. No advisors, investors, industry experts, newspapers, and local tour operators expected the business to survive. NatureAir proved everyone wrong, and since the first year they have gone from flying 18,000 passengers annually to more 150,000 in 2007. Business has grown from one plane to seven – the only all twin engine airline in Costa Rica with both scheduled and chartered flights. Growth has been at more than 35% annually compounded, and NatureAir is predicted to be one of the fastest growing companies in Latin America.
Today NatureAir is just one part of the Naturegate company. Naturegate also includes the Eco Resort consulting firm, that worked on projects like the Papagayo project in Costa Rica - the oldest Flight Academy in Latin America; the largest travel magazine in the region; NatureKids- non-profit network of schools which teach English to children and their parents to help better their futures, and NatureVacations - a travel department that has created a 100% carbon neutral vacation itinerary.
Getting There
Nature Air offers 74 daily flights to 16 exciting destination in Costa Rica, and Panama. This is a major accomplishment considering that all flights are limited to day time as the domestic airport of Tobias Bolanos is not Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) approved.
In May 2005, NatureAir began operating daily flights to Volcano Arenal, the most visited destination in Costa Rica. This flight was a watershed moment in tourism for the Arenal area of Costa Rica.
In keeping with the adage, “The journey is half the fun," planes are painted in vivid colors reflecting tropical destinations. NatureAir’s planes are roomy, climate controlled and deliver a smoother ride than smaller aircrafts. In addition the large, flat, untinted panoramic windows allow unobstructed views of the volcanic activity, tropical waterfalls and even simultaneous views of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
NatureAir continues to endorse Nature’s Group mission statement: Creating Destinations for Rare Experiences.
Redefining Air Travel
NatureAir's commitment to quality of service is clearly demonstrated by the way they have structured their programs; not from the perspective of a business owner, but from that of a traveler.
- In 2004 Alex Khajavi and his family turned NatureAir, 100% carbon neutral. It is also the only two-engine fleet in Central America, safety, reliability and comfort of passengers is their top priority, which is further emphasized by their high quality of fight services and efficient operations. Every year the company works to improve it’s flight plans in order to conserve more fuel. In 2008 this was an improvement of roughly 4% in fuel efficiency per hour of flight, compared to last year. These efforts have resulted in a 92 percent on-time performance which is simply unheard of in this region.
- NatureAir has also opened more destinations to adventure travelers than ever before. Destinations that used to take eight hours to drive to, can now be reached via NatureAir in only 45 minutes! This allows travelers to have more fun and spend more valuable time at their destination(s).
- NatureAir has pioneered the e-ticket concept in Central America making them the only electronic ticket airline in this region.
- NatureAir is the world’s number one chosen airline by top tour operators.
NatureAir does not ask its clients for voluntary contributions to reduce carbon emissions but rather charges them all as a part of its 20% higher ticket prices than the competition – despite concerns this would damage the company – NatureAir has grown 5x in annual revenues since it implemented the program and is one of the fastest growing airlines in all of Latin America. The company has also been able to reduce carbon emissions by transporting guests in carbon neutral bio-diesel vans, replacing light bulbs, limiting copy paper, and recycling. Its efforts are showing travelers an airline can be carbon neutral, and help the environment, not harm it.
The Green Airline
With NatureAir’s carbon emissions program the airline is proud of being the first carbon neutral airline in the world but not the only one. The airline keeps its carbon output down by improvements made in their operations, scheduling and flight plans. Their fleet is mostly made up of de Havilland Twin Otters, which are acclaimed to be the quietest and most fuel-efficient engine option available. This provides guests the least intrusive way to journey through environmentally sensitive areas. Studies show Nature Air outputs as much carbon dioxide in a year compared to what one commercial flight outputs in 10 days from New York to London.
100% of NatureAir’s carbon emissions are compensated through the protection and reforestation of tropical forests in southern Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity zones of the Osa Pensinsula. NatureAir privately pays for 3rd party audits to be conducted of the land to ensure that these forests are being conserved and protected. In addition, NatureAir has met with and encouraged other airlines to participate in this program as a way of using tourism and transportation to protect the destinations to which they serve and benefit from.
NatureAir's "green" projects are ongoing. The company is currently researching alternative fuel sources for their company, which include ethanol and pig waste.
NatureVacations-A Carbon Neutral Vacation
Costa Rica been named one of the world's most popular travel hot spots. To better serve tourists in the regions it serves NatureAir formed its own environmentally friendly vacations department- NatureVacations. (www.naturevacations.com) NatureVacations guides and educates travelers about the eco-friendly and sustainable lodges Costa Rica has available. NatureVacations is one of a kind travel department in Costa Rica, as its Travel Designers are fluent in the English, Spanish, and other native tongues. These designers live, work and play in Costa Rica! They can offer first hand experience to travelers, not just hypothetical information read from a book or imagined from a single picture in print. The travel designers will tell guests from their experience how wonderful the sounds of the Macau’s are as the sun sets over your balcony overlooking the triple canopy rainforest as it touches the Pacific.
In spring 2008 NatureVacations created a 100% carbon neutral itinerary. From the time travelers step foot in San Jose, Costa Rica until the time they leave 100% of the carbon created will be offset. The vacation package includes guided nature walks, sustainable jungle tours, accommodations at some of the most sustainable hotels in Costa Rica, domestic airfare by NatureAir, and all transfers in a carbon neutral bio-diesel van.
Reaching Out and Community Service
NatureAir places equal emphasis on commercial success and social responsibility. Studies indicate that English speakers in Costa Rica earn on average 47 percent more income. In 2003 NatureAir created NatureKids- a non-profit organization that teaches low-income children English reading and writing skills. NatureKids has grown from a one-room classroom in San Jose to several locations throughout Costa Rica including Drake Bay, Puerto Jimenez and Tambor. Classes are for entire families, from children to grandparents. In 2007 The NatureKids Foundation expanded its English program, and broadened the environmental education programs for its students. The program is initiating efforts to clean up water in smaller communities and collect and recycle garbage. Environmental lessons are also given to the children to help install a sustainable practices foundation in the younger generations.
Membership Organization and Awards
NatureAir is a member of several environmental organizations through which it also educates both travelers and industry of its program, these include:
- International Ecotourism Society
- Rainforest Alliance
- World Heritage Alliance
- IATA
- American Society of Travel Agent
- International Civil Aviation Organization
- ICT Tourism Association
- CANATUR
- ACOPROT
In May 2008 NatureAir become the first airline in 20 years to be honored at the Rainforest Alliance annual Sustainable Innovator Awards. NatureAir was recognized in the Corporate Sustainable Standard-Setters category.
In November 2007 NatureAir was given a highly commended recognition as the “best mode of low-carbon transportation and technology” at the 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards at the World Travel Market.
In June 2007 NatureAir was recognized by the International Community for Ecotourism NatureAir for being the first airline to voluntarily compensate 100% of its carbon emissions, through its conservation of tropical forests.
USA Forwarding Address
PO Box 25216
SJO 788,
Miami, Florida 33102