La Costeņa has a policy of booking passengers who have not actually bought their ticket. This means that you can call for a reservation, show up at the airport at check-in time, and pay for the ticket at that time. Thatīs convenient in a country where few people have a credit card. When you book La Costeņa will ask you if you already have a ticket. If you donīt, be sure you show up at the airport when they tell you to be there, or, you may get bumped! Be sure to go up to the counter when you arrive and identify yourself and your intended flight.
Because many people book in advance then donīt show, La Costeņa maintains a waiting list on most flights. If the reservations person tells you that you are on the waiting list, there is probably no need to freak out. Your odds of getting on are actually quite good if your waiting list number is low (La Costeņa overbooks 4 seats per flight on a 12-seat Cessna Gran Caravan). Be sure to pay attention to whether you have a seat, or if not, what number you are on the waiting list.
Frequently, La Costeņa will add an additional plane at the last minute to your destination in order to cover excessive demand for that date. You may suddenly find that you are flying on an a virtually empty plane even though you were on standby!
Note that reservations for La Costeņa are determined by who calls first to reserve and NOT by who shows up first at the airport! Make your reservation well in advance to assure a seat. If you donīt have something in writing, call again a couple of days before the flight to assure that you are still on the list. If you do have something in writing, be sure to take it with you to airport check-in!
If all else fails, you might consider an adventure on the the bus!
