Compañía Panameña de Aviación, S.A., operating as
Copa Airlines (CM), is an airline based in
Panama CityPanama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
,
PanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, and serves as Panama's
flag carrierA flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
. Its main base of operations is
Tocumen International AirportTocumen International Airport is an international airport located from Panama City, Panama. In 2006, it underwent a major expansion and renovation program in order to modernize and improve its facilities...
, and the airline operates approximately 180 daily scheduled flights to 59 destinations in 28 countries in North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
Inauguration
The airline was established as
Compañía Panameña de Aviación (hence the acronym COPA) on 21 June 1944 and started operations on 15 August 1947. It was founded by a group of prominent Panamanian investors with assistance from
Pan AmericanPan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
, which took a 32% stake. It began operations with domestic flights operated by a small fleet of
Douglas DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
and
Douglas C-47The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
aircraft. The airline started its first international flights in the 1960s when services were inaugurated to cities in
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
,
ColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, and
Costa RicaCosta Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. It became wholly Panamanian owned in 1971.
Until the early 1980s, the airline had significant competition from
Air PanamaAir Panamá Internacional, also known as Air Panama International or just Air Panama, was a state owned airline from Panama that served as the flag carrier of the country between 1968 and 1989...
, until then, a better known airline to the international public. Copa discontinued its domestic flights in 1979 and acquired its first jet, a
Boeing 737-100The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
. It also inaugurated flights to
San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, as well as to the
Dominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and
Miami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. Thus, the Boeing 737 became the only aircraft in its fleet until the introduction of the Embraer 190 in 2005.
Expansion years
Expansion continued during the 1990s, when service was started to Buenos Aires, Argentina;
Santiago, ChileSantiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
; Bogotá, Colombia; Havana, Cuba; Guayaquil, Ecuador; Lima, Peru;
Mexico City, MexicoMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
; Caracas, Venezuela; and many other important Latin American cities.
In 1998,
Continental AirlinesContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
acquired 49% of the airline, marking the beginning of a comprehensive marketing and operating alliance. On 19 May 1999 Continental increased its stake to 51%. Since then, it has adopted a livery and a
corporate logoA logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
which are similar to those of Continental in order to represent their alliance, and participates in the OnePass
frequent flyer programA frequent flyer program is a loyalty program offered by many airlines. Typically, airline customers enrolled in the program accumulate frequent flyer miles corresponding to the distance flown on that airline or its partners. There are other ways to accumulate miles...
. However, in connection with the initial public offering in December 2005, Continental reduced its investment from 49% to approximately 27.3% and through a follow-on offering in 2006, Continental further reduced its investment to approximately 10.0%.
In 2000, Copa Airlines inaugurated services to Los Angeles,
CancúnCancún is a city of international tourism development certified by the UNWTO . Located on the northeast coast of Quintana Roo in southern Mexico, more than 1,700 km from Mexico City, the Project began operations in 1974 as Integrally Planned Center, a pioneer of FONATUR Cancún is a city of...
, and
OrlandoOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, as well as to
São PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
; in 2001 it began serving Quito, Ecuador. In 2004 it began service to
John F. Kennedy International AirportJohn F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
in New York City. It also announced in August of that year a code-sharing alliance with
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
's
Mexicana de AviaciónFounded in 1921, Compañía Mexicana de Aviación, S.A. de C.V. was Mexico's oldest airline, before ceasing operations on August 28, 2010. The group's closure was announced by the company's recently installed management team a short time after the group filed for Concurso Mercantil and US Chapter 15...
, which lasted until 2007.
On 1 June 2005, Copa Airlines announced that it had purchased 90% of the
ColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n domestic
air carrierAn airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
AeroRepública, having earlier announced plans to codeshare with them. The airline also announced its plans to make AeroRepública the second largest carrier in Colombia. It plans to increase domestic destinations, modernize its fleet, and initiate the airline's first international destinations. A few days later, Copa Airlines was announced among the four future associate members of
SkyTeamSkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
alliance, due to join by September 2007.
On 15 December 2005, Copa Holdings, S.A., the
parent companyA holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
of Copa Airlines, launched an IPO of 14 million shares in the
New York Stock ExchangeThe New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
thus becoming the fourth Latin American airline to be traded in the exchange, the other three being
LAN AirlinesLAN Airlines S.A. is an airline based in Santiago, Chile. LAN is currently positioned amongst the largest airlines in Latin America, serving Latin America, United States, the Caribbean, Oceania, and Europe. It is a member of the Oneworld airline alliance...
of Chile and Brazilian carriers
Gol Transportes AéreosGol Transportes Aéreos is a Brazilian airline based in Comandante Lineu Gomes Square, São Paulo City, Brazil....
and TAM Airlines (TAM Linhas Aéreas).
In 2006 Copa Airlines announced and began service to six new destinations:
ManausManaus is a city in Brazil, the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is situated at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. It is the most populous city of Amazonas, according to the statistics of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and is a popular ecotourist destination....
, Brazil,
MaracaiboMaracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
,
VenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
,
MontevideoMontevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
,
UruguayUruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
,
Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil,
San Pedro SulaSan Pedro Sula is a city in Honduras. It is located in the northwest corner of the country, in the Valle de Sula , about 60 km south of Puerto Cortés on the Caribbean. With an estimated population of 638,259 people in the main municipality, and 802,598 in its metro area , it is the second...
,
HondurasHonduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, and
Santiago de los CaballerosSantiago de los Caballeros is a city in the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1495 during the first wave of European colonization of the New World, today Santiago is the second largest metropolis in the Dominican Republic, located in the north-central region of the Republic known as Cibao valley...
, Dominican Republic
In addition, Copa Airlines also received 6 Embraer 190 and 2
Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
and was chosen again as the "Best Airline in Mexico, Central America, and The Caribbean" by
SkytraxSkytrax is a United Kingdom-based consultancy, the public face of Inflight Research Services, which has the largest airline and airport review and ranking site. It conducts research for commercial airlines...
.
In 2007, Copa Airlines added new destinations to
Córdoba, ArgentinaCórdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
,
GuadalajaraGuadalajara is the capital of the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara. The city is located in the central region of Jalisco in the western-pacific area of Mexico. With a population of 1,564,514 it is Mexico's second most populous municipality...
, Mexico,
Punta CanaPunta Cana is part of the newly created Punta Cana-Bávaro-Veron-Macao municipal district in La Altagracia, the easternmost province of the Dominican Republic. The area is best known for its beaches and balnearios, which face both the Caribbean and Atlantic, and it has been a popular tourist...
, Dominican Republic and Washington, D.C., United States
Copa Airlines received 4 Embraer 190 and 2
Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
(series-800) in 2007 and was chosen as the "Best Airline in Mexico, Central America, and The Caribbean" by
SkytraxSkytrax is a United Kingdom-based consultancy, the public face of Inflight Research Services, which has the largest airline and airport review and ranking site. It conducts research for commercial airlines...
.
During 2008, Copa Airlines added five new destinations and received 4 Embraer 190 and 1
Boeing 737-800The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
. The new destinations are:
Port of SpainPort of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population...
,
Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
,
Belo HorizonteBelo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
, Brazil, Valencia,
VenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
,
Oranjestad, ArubaOranjestad is the capital and largest city of Aruba, which is in the Caribbean north of Venezuela. Oranjestad is located on the southern coast near the western end of the island country...
and
Santa Cruz de la SierraSanta Cruz de la Sierra, commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the capital of the Santa Cruz department in eastern Bolivia and the largest city in the country...
,
BoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
In May 2008,
Continental AirlinesContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
sold its remaining 4.38 million shares of Copa Airlines for $35.75 a share, for net proceeds of approximately $149.8 million.
That same year, Copa Airlines chief executive
Pedro HeilbronPedro Heilbron is, since 1988, the CEO of Copa Holdings S.A., the parent company of Panamanian carrier Copa Airlines and Colombian carrier AeroRepública....
on the ALTA airline leaders forum in Cancún said that Copa Airlines has decided to leave the
SkyTeamSkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
and is in exclusive talks with the
Star AllianceStar Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
.
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/11/21/319161/copa-and-taca-poised-to-join-star.html
During 2009, Copa Airlines announced the retirement from
SkyTeamSkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
(on 24 October 2009), on the same date that its partner
Continental AirlinesContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
leaves SkyTeam. They added two
Boeing 737-800The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
. and announced the firm order for 13
Boeing 737-800The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
that will come with the new Boeing's signature "Sky Interior".
On 2010, Copa Airlines start service to St. Maarten, received 9
Boeing 737-800The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
and announced that they will finally join
Star AllianceStar Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
in mid-2012 to meet its old partner,
Continental AirlinesContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
and become the first Panamanian airline to join Star Alliance.
Also, Copa Airlines and Boeing announced the purchase of 32
Boeing 737-800The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
planes, set for delivery between 2015 and 2018, with an option to acquire 10 more
Boeing 737-800The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
, valued approximately at $1.7 billion. This is the largest plane order in Copa Airlines history.
On June 15, 2011, Copa Airlines start flying to
TorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada,
BrasiliaBrasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
, Brazil,
Porto AlegrePorto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
, Brazil, and
NassauNassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
,
The BahamasThe Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
, passed from a 4 bank hub to a 6 bank hub, increasing frecuencies to several destinations and new destinations were announced:
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, United States,
CúcutaCúcuta is a Colombian city, capital of Norte de Santander, in the northeast of the country. Due to its proximity to the Colombian-Venezuelan border, Cúcuta is an important commercial center. The city has the constitutional category of Special District. It is located at the most active...
,
ColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
,
Montego BayMontego Bay is the capital of St. James Parish and the second largest city in Jamaica by area and the fourth by population .It is a tourist destination with duty free shopping, cruise line terminal and the beaches...
,
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
,
MonterreyMonterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, Mexico and
AsunciónAsunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
,
ParaguayParaguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
.
They also launched they first mobile website http://m.copaair.com, giving their passengers the ability to get the Mobile Pass*, check flight status and others characteristics, and announce a new codeshare agreement with
TAMETame may refer to:*Taming, the act of domesticating wild animals*River Tame, Greater Manchester*River Tame, West Midlands and the Tame Valley*Tame, Arauca, a Colombian town and municipality...
, which will be effective from January 2012.
In addition, Copa Airlines became the first airline in Latin America to have the new
Boeing 737-800The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
NG Sky Interior with improved performance in their fleet.
*Mobile Pass is only admitted at: Panama, Santiago de Chile, Guatemala, Guayaquil, Managua and Montevideo.
Awards and honors
- November 2002: Best Regionalization in Latin America Award, PODER Magazine, Booz, Allen & Hamilton
Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. , or more commonly Booz Allen, is an American public consulting firm headquartered in McLean, Fairfax County, Virginia, with 80 other offices throughout the United States. Ralph Shrader is its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The firm was founded by Edwin Booz in...
and Egon Zehnder InternationalEgon Zehnder International is a global executive search firm. With revenues of 605m USD in 2010, it ranks as one of the top five executive search firms in the world....
.
- December 2002: "Tourism without Borders" Award, Federation of Tourism Chambers of Central America.
- April 2003: "Developing Airline of the Year" Award, AirFinance Journal.
- April 2004: "Best Airline" in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean Award, based on the annual World Airline Survey conducted by Skytrax
Skytrax is a United Kingdom-based consultancy, the public face of Inflight Research Services, which has the largest airline and airport review and ranking site. It conducts research for commercial airlines...
, a British market-survey company.
- June 2004: Among the 25 Best Employers in Latin America, América Economía
América Economía is a Latin American magazine founded in 1986 by Chilean Elías Selman and Swedish Nils Strandberg.The 1980s was considered the lost decade in Latin America but Selman and Strandberg decided to take risk and create the first Latin American business magazine.Since 1986 AméricaEconomía...
magazine.
- June 2005: "Best Airline" and "Best On-board Service" in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean Awards, Skytrax
Skytrax is a United Kingdom-based consultancy, the public face of Inflight Research Services, which has the largest airline and airport review and ranking site. It conducts research for commercial airlines...
.
- June 2006: "Best Airline" and "Best Cabin Staff" in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean Awards, Skytrax
Skytrax is a United Kingdom-based consultancy, the public face of Inflight Research Services, which has the largest airline and airport review and ranking site. It conducts research for commercial airlines...
.
- October 2006: One of the 10 Best Employers in Latin America, América Economía
América Economía is a Latin American magazine founded in 1986 by Chilean Elías Selman and Swedish Nils Strandberg.The 1980s was considered the lost decade in Latin America but Selman and Strandberg decided to take risk and create the first Latin American business magazine.Since 1986 AméricaEconomía...
magazine.
- August 2009: The Life Achievement Awards, Airline Business magazine.
- 2010: 2010 Mexico & Central America's Leading Airline, World Travel Awards.
- 2010: World's Most Sustainable Airline Environmental Award, GREENHORIZON Aviation
- 2011: 2011 Mexico's and Central America Leading Airline, World Travel Awards.
- June 2011: fourth place in Leading Companies of 2011, Summa Magazine.
Destinations
Copa Airlines currently flies to 59 destinations in 28 countries in North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
Fleet
The Copa Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft with an average age of 4.8 years:
Copa Airlines Fleet
| Aircraft |
In Service |
Orders |
Passengers |
Notes |
| J |
Y |
Total |
| Boeing 737-700 |
20 |
- |
12 |
112 |
124 |
2 are leased to Copa Airlines Colombia |
| Boeing 737-800 |
27 |
62 |
12
16 |
141
144 |
155
160 |
Deliveries between 2011 and 2018, Two on special livery,
launch customer of the 737NG Sky Interior in Latin America |
| Embraer E-190 |
26 |
_ |
10 |
84 |
94 |
Launch customer of the model in Latin America on 2005 |
| Total |
73 |
62 |
- Copa Airlines was the launch customer of the Embraer E-190 in Latin America. The airline also operates the longest scheduled Boeing 737-700 flight in the world between Panama City and Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
in UruguayUruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
.
- The average age of Copa Airlines aircraft is approximately 4.8 years.
- In October 2004, Copa Airlines announced an order to purchase ten new Embraer E-190
The Embraer E-Jets are a series of narrow-body, twin-engine, medium-range, jet airliners produced by Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and corporate aircraft. Announced at the Paris Air Show in 1999, and entering production in 2002, the aircraft series...
aircraft with options for a further 20 new aircraft. Later the firm orders were increased by exercising five of the options. Six aircraft were delivered in the first quarter of 2007. In June 2007 the airline took delivery of its seventh Embraer E-190The Embraer E-Jets are a series of narrow-body, twin-engine, medium-range, jet airliners produced by Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and corporate aircraft. Announced at the Paris Air Show in 1999, and entering production in 2002, the aircraft series...
aircraft and is due to receive four more during 2007. The aircraft are configured with 10 seats in Clase Ejecutiva (Business Class) and 84 seats in economy.
- At 31 May 2007, the airline has firm commitments to purchase four Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
-Next Generation(series -800) and ten Embraer E-190, with a list price of approximately $1.1 billion.
- On 30 December 2008, Copa Airlines has announced the firm order for another four Boeing 737-800.
- On 16 July 2009, the Panamanian carrier Copa Airlines announced the firm order for 13 Boeing 737-800
The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
that will come with the new Boeing's signature "Sky Interior".
- On November 30, 2010, Copa Airlines and Boeing announced the purchase of twenty two Boeing 737-800 planes, set for delivery between 2015 and 2018, with an option to acquire ten more Boeing 737-800, valued approximately at $1.7 billion. This is the largest plane order in Copa Airlines history.
Fleet history
Over the years, Copa Airlines operated the following aircraft types:
Copa Airlines past fleet
| Aircraft |
Total |
Introduced |
Retired |
| Embraer E-190 |
26 |
2005 |
— |
Boeing 737-800The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
|
26 |
2003 |
Boeing 737-700The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
|
20 |
1999 |
— |
| Curtiss C-46 |
2 |
1956 |
1958 |
| DC-3 |
4 |
1947 |
1980 |
Convair 240The Convair CV-240 was an American airliner produced by Convair from 1947 to 1954, initially as a possible replacement of the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3. While featuring a more modern design, the 240 series was able to make some inroads as a commercial airliner and also had a long development cycle...
|
3 |
1967 |
1969 |
| Convair 340 |
3 |
1967 |
1969 |
| Avro 748 The Hawker Siddeley HS 748 is a medium-sized turboprop airliner originally designed by the British firm Avro in the late 1950s as a replacement for the now-aged DC-3s then in widespread service as feederliners. Avro concentrated on performance, notably for STOL operations, and found a dedicated...
|
2 |
1965 |
1978 |
| Martin 404 |
1 |
1961 |
1965 |
Lockheed L-188 ElectraThe Lockheed Model 188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flying in 1957, it was the first large turboprop airliner produced in the United States. Initial sales were good, but after two fatal crashes which prompted an expensive modification program to fix a design...
|
3 |
1971 |
1986 |
| Boeing 727-100 |
2 |
1985 |
1987 |
| Boeing 737-100 |
1 |
1980 |
1993 |
| Boeing 737–200 The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
|
13 |
1988 |
2005 |
Liveries
During the last 64 years of the airline, Copa Airlines had a lot of liveries during the udpate of their fleet, from the turboprops to the jetliners. Also, they have special liveries in their fleet of
Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
and Embraer 190. In November 2003, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the republic of Panama, Copa Airlines put in their fleet of
Boeing 737-700The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
an announcent of the centennial with the official logo with the picture of the first president of Panama,
Manuel Amador GuerreroManuel Amador Guerrero , was the first president of Panama from 20 February 1904 to 1 October 1908. He was a member of the Conservative Party....
in the white livery.
In 2006, a Copa Airlines Embraer 190 had a special livery, because the plane that it was delivered to copa was the 200th Embraer 190 ever produced by the Brazilian plane manufacturer,
EmbraerEmbraer S.A. is a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and executive aircraft and provides aeronautical services....
. In February 2011, to promote the turism in
PanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, the Turism Authority of Panama with the support of Copa Airlines, made a special livery for a
Boeing 737-800The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
(registered HP-1534CMP) of the new fleet with the butterfly logo of Panama and the website "visitpanama.com". Actually the new plane with the special livery is flying to other Copa Airlines destinations. This special livery was also added to another Copa 737-800 and is probable that the special livery of "Panama" is going to be implemented soon with the rest of the fleet.
From 1947 to present, Copa Airlines has used the following liveries:
- Compañia Panameña de Aviación (1947–1961)
- Vuele Copa (1961–1965)
- Copa Panama - White livery (1965–1971)
- Copa Panama - Red lines with white livery (1971–1985)
- Copa Panama - Red and yellow lines with white livery (1985–1990)
- "COPA" billboard - Red and yellow lines with white livery and "COPA" logo in the tail. (1990–1999)
- Copa Airlines - Gold lines with white livery and the well-known blue world globe with white and gold lines design in the tail.(1999–present)
The last livery of the list is currently used by Copa Airlines since 1999 and is recognizable for the plane fans during landings at Tocumen Airport and the rest of the airports around Latin America.
Services
Business Class
When flying in Business Class, customers obtain the following benefits: special check-in at airport counters, leather seats, world-class meals, a large variety of liquors and wines, pillows and blankets (depending on the type and duration of the flight). It provides 3 Panamanian newspapers departing from Panama, bonus miles for all members of the OnePass program, access to all United Club/Copa Airlines Club.
Also private bathroom for business class passengers, and in long-haul flights, a courtesy kit containing toiletry items, hot towels and bottled water will be provided to all Business Class passengers. In the Boeing 737 fleet there is in-flight entertainment, which includes several music radio stations, movies and sitcoms.
Economy Class
In this class, passengers has some of the benefits as in Business class, such as in-flight entertainment in the Boeing 737 fleet (movies, TV sitcoms and listening to music radio stations), hot meals and a wide variety of drink options that can be selected during meals and drink services without any additional cost.
In-flight entertainment
In the Boeing 737 fleet, the airline have an in-flight entertainment system. Copa Airlines select an appropriate movie for all flights from or to Panama and reproduce some TV series (series showing only applies in flights that take 5.5 hours or more). Moreover, the Boeing fleet is equipped with a radio antenna which allows passengers to choose from 12 selected music radio stations and to listen to a wide variety of songs and instrumentals. The airline also provides an inflight magazine (Panorama de las Americas) in which one may find articles related to the airline destinations, world economy, leadership and entrepreneurship, science and technology and many others.
OnePass
OnePass is Copa Airlines frequent flyer program through partnership with Continental Airlines, offering regular travelers the ability to obtain free tickets, First Class upgrades on flights, discounted membership at airports lounge
United ClubThe United Club is the airline lounge associated with United Airlines as well as its regional affiliates. Prior to the United-Continental merger, United Airlines lounges were known as the Red Carpet Club and Continental Airlines lounges were are known as the Presidents Club.-United Club:United Club...
/Copa Club, or other types of rewards. Customers accumulate miles from flight segments they fly through Copa Airlines, Continental Airlines or other partners. OnePass elite tiers are Silver, Gold, and Platinum Elite which have benefits such as complimentary upgrades, mileage bonus, priority check-in and priority boarding. Copa will phase out the OnePass by December 31, 2011 and will use United's Mileage Plus frequent flyer program.
In addition to its
Continental AirlinesContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
,
Continental ExpressContinental Express is the operating brand name used by a number of independently owned regional airlines providing regional jet feeder service under agreement with Continental Airlines...
,
Continental ConnectionContinental Connection is a brand name under which several commuter airline carriers and their holding companies operate services marketed exclusively by Continental Airlines...
,
Copa Airlines ColombiaAeroRepública S.A., operating as Copa Airlines Colombia, is an airline based in Bogotá, Colombia. It is the third largest air carrier in Colombia . It operates scheduled services from Bogotá to 11 domestic destinations, Panama, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Guatemala and Ecuador as well as charter...
, and Star Alliance partnerships, Copa Airlines has frequent flyer partnerships with the following airlines:
American EagleAmerican Eagle Airlines is a brand name used by American Eagle Airlines, Inc. , based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Executive Airlines based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the operation of passenger air service as regional affiliates of American Airlines. All three airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries...
(only within CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
; OneworldOneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
)Cape AirHyannis Air Service, Inc., operating as Cape Air, is an airline headquartered at Barnstable Municipal Airport in Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States. It operates scheduled passenger services in the Northeast, Florida, the Caribbean, Mid-Atlantic States, Midwest, and Micronesia...
Emirates AirlineEmirates is the airline based in the Emirate of Dubai part of the United Arab Emirates . Based at Dubai International Airport it is the largest airline in the Middle East, operating over 2,400 flights per week, from its hub at Terminal 3, to 111 cities in 62 countries across six continents...
EVA AirEVA Airways Corporation "; ) is an airline based at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei, Taiwan, operating passenger and dedicated cargo services to over 40 international destinations in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. EVA Air is largely privately owned and flies a fully...
Hawaiian AirlinesHawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a major airline of the United States. It is the largest airline based in the State of Hawai'i, and is the 11th largest commercial airline in the country. Based in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, the airline operates its main hub at Honolulu International...
Island AirIsland Air is an independent American commuter airline based in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii. It operates scheduled inter-island passenger services in Hawaii...
KLM (SkyTeamSkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
)Virgin Atlantic |
Copa Airlines also offers frequent flyer partnerships with the following car rental companies:
- Advantage
Advantage Rent a Car was a formerly-independent car rental company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas which at its peak operated more than 150 U.S. locations and 130 locations in 33 countries internationally...
- Alamo
Alamo Rent a Car is the third-largest car rental agency in the United States. Based in Clayton, Missouri, it has branches across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, parts of Africa, Europe, and Australia, and various Caribbean islands...
- Avis
Avis Rent a Car System, LLC is a car rental company headquartered in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, New Jersey, United States. Avis, Budget Rent a Car and Budget Truck Rental are all units of Avis Budget Group....
- Budget
Budget Rent a Car System, Inc. is an American car rental company that was founded in 1958 in Los Angeles, California by Morris Mirkin. Budget's operations are headquartered in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, New Jersey....
- Dollar
|
HertzHertz Global Holdings Inc is an American car rental company with international locations in 145 countries worldwide.-Early years:The company was founded by Walter L. Jacobs in 1918, who started a car rental operation in Chicago with a dozen Model T Ford cars. In 1923, Jacobs sold it to John D...
NationalNational Car Rental is a rental car company based in Clayton, Missouri. National was founded by 24 independent rental car agents on August 27, 1947...
SixtSixt is a European car rental company. It has around 3,500 service stations in over 80 countries. Sixt was founded in 1912 by Martin Sixt in Munich.-Company facts:*Revenue : €1.44 billion*EBIT: €153.3 million*EBT: €121.647 million*Employees: 2,015...
Thrifty |
OnePass frequent flyer program will end on Dec. 31, 2011. On Jan. 1, 2012, United will automatically enroll OnePass members in Mileage Plus and deposit into Mileage Plus award miles equal to their OnePass award miles balance. OnePass members' 2011 OnePass elite qualifying activity will be recognized fully in their 2012 Mileage Plus elite status.
Copa Club
Copa Club is the membership
airport loungeAn airport lounge is a lounge owned by a particular airline . Many offer private meeting rooms, phone, fax, wireless and Internet access and other business services, along with provisions to enhance comfort such as free drinks and snacks...
program of
Copa AirlinesCompañía Panameña de Aviación, S.A., operating as Copa Airlines ', is an airline based in Panama City, Panama, and serves as Panama's flag carrier...
jointly operated with
United AirlinesUnited Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
and
Continental AirlinesContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
. Copa Club lounge is located in its hub at
Tocumen International AirportTocumen International Airport is an international airport located from Panama City, Panama. In 2006, it underwent a major expansion and renovation program in order to modernize and improve its facilities...
, Panama City, Panama. The lounges offer amenities for travelers and members also have access to affiliated lounges around the world. The Copa Club locations in
Central AmericaCentral America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and the Caribbean include Panama City, Panama and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and Guatemala City, Guatemala and
San José, Costa RicaSan José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
Locations
| Airport | City | Country |
Tocumen International AirportTocumen International Airport is an international airport located from Panama City, Panama. In 2006, it underwent a major expansion and renovation program in order to modernize and improve its facilities...
|
Panama CityPanama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
|
PanamáPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
|
Las Américas International Airport-Cargo airlines:-Accidents and incidents:*On February 15, 1970, a Dominicana de Aviación DC-9 flying to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, crashed, killing all 102 persons on board ....
|
Santo Domingo Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
|
Dominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
|
| La Aurora International Airport La Aurora International Airport serves Guatemala City, Guatemala. It is located south of Guatemala City's center and from Antigua. It is administered by the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil....
|
Guatemala City Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
|
GuatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
|
Juan Santamaría International AirportJuan Santamaría International Airport is located in Alajuela Province, about from downtown San José, Costa Rica. It is a hub airport for TACA/Lacsa, and focus city airport for Copa Airlines. It is named after Costa Rica's national hero Juan Santamaría, a courageous drummer boy who died in 1856...
|
San José San José, or San Jose, is the Spanish for Saint Joseph. It usually refers to one of two major cities. These are:*San José, Costa Rica, the capital of Costa Rica*San Jose, California, the tenth-most populous city in the United States...
|
Costa RicaCosta Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
|
Codeshare agreements
Copa Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:
(
This list does not include Star Alliance airlines)
AeroMéxicoAirways of Mexico, SA de CV , operating as Aeroméxico, is the flag carrier airline of Mexico based in Colonia Cuauhtémoc, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City. It operates scheduled domestic and international services to North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia...
Copa Airlines ColombiaAeroRepública S.A., operating as Copa Airlines Colombia, is an airline based in Bogotá, Colombia. It is the third largest air carrier in Colombia . It operates scheduled services from Bogotá to 11 domestic destinations, Panama, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Guatemala and Ecuador as well as charter...
Cubana de AviaciónCubana de Aviación S.A., commonly known as Cubana, is Cuba's largest airline and flag carrier. The airline was founded on 8 October 1929, and has its corporate headquarters in Havana. Its main base is at José Martí International Airport...
Gol Transportes AéreosGol Transportes Aéreos is a Brazilian airline based in Comandante Lineu Gomes Square, São Paulo City, Brazil....
Continental AirlinesContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
United AirlinesUnited Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
KLM
TAMETame may refer to:*Taming, the act of domesticating wild animals*River Tame, Greater Manchester*River Tame, West Midlands and the Tame Valley*Tame, Arauca, a Colombian town and municipality...
(
January 2011)
Incidents and accidents
- To date, the only fatal accident involving an aircraft of Copa Airlines occurred on 6 June 1992. At approximately 9 p.m. local time, Flight 201, a Boeing 737-200
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
registeredAn aircraft registration is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies a civil aircraft, in similar fashion to a licence plate on an automobile...
HP-1205CMP, crashed in the Darien GapThe Darién Gap is a large swath of undeveloped swampland and forest separating Panama's Darién Province in Central America from Colombia in South America. It measures just over long and about wide. Roadbuilding through this area is expensive, and the environmental toll is steep. Political...
during a flight from Panama CityPanama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
to Cali after an instrument failure, killing the 40 passengers and 7 crew on board. This is the first and only fatal accident in the history of Copa Airlines.
- A Boeing 737-100 (registered HP-873CMP) was damaged beyond repair on 19 November 1993, when it veered off the runway upon landing at Tocumen International Airport
Tocumen International Airport is an international airport located from Panama City, Panama. In 2006, it underwent a major expansion and renovation program in order to modernize and improve its facilities...
at 19:19 local time following Flight 301 from Miami with 86 passengers and six crew members. The pilots had not managed to properly align the aircraft with the runway because of severe crosswindA crosswind is any wind that has a perpendicular component to the line or direction of travel. In aviation, a crosswind is the component of wind that is blowing across the runway making landings and take-offs more difficult than if the wind were blowing straight down the runway...
s, which led to the nosegear being torn off. There were no reported injuries and the plane was written-off.
- On 7 August 1994, a hijacking attempt occurred on board a Copa flight from Panama City to Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
.
- On 27 June 2010, a Copa Airlines Boeing 737-800 aircraft (registered HP-1533CMP) which was parked in a gate of Tocumen International Airport
Tocumen International Airport is an international airport located from Panama City, Panama. In 2006, it underwent a major expansion and renovation program in order to modernize and improve its facilities...
for a flight to Sao PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, suffered severe damage to the right engine and part of the right wing when a vehicle owned by the airport crashed on it, because its conductor fell asleep. None of the passengers, crew members and the conductor involved in the incident were injured and the flight to Sao Paulo was changed to another Copa Airlines aircraft. The plane was repaired by Copa's maintenance staff with the support of BoeingThe Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
inspectors and put back into service.
External links