Copa Airlines

Compañía Panameña de Aviación S.A., (NYSE: CPA), known as Copa Airlines, is the international airline of Panama with its main hub at Tocumen International Airport, located in Panama City. Panama, called the Hub of the Americas.

Fly to 86 destinations in 33 countries in North, Central, South America and the Caribbean.

Copa Airlines is a subsidiary of Copa Holdings S.A and a member of the Star Alliance global airline network.

History

Embraer 190 de Copa Airlines in Manaus, Brazil.

In June 2011, Copa Airlines celebrates 5 years at the New York Stock Exchange.

Boeing 737-800 from Copa Airlines at Miami International Airport.

It was founded in 1947 by Panamanian businessman Alberto Motta Cardoze under the name Compañía Panameña de Aviación. It began domestic flights to three cities in Panama using a Douglas DC-3 aircraft.

In 1960, it expanded to three weekly frequencies to the cities of San José, Kingston, Barranquilla and Medellín, thanks to the incorporation of an Avro 748 plane and a Lockheed L-188 Electra.

In the 1970s, he decided to withdraw from the domestic market, dedicating himself solely to operating international destinations.

In 1980, and after purchasing its first plane, a Boeing 737-100, it expanded its destinations to Cartagena in Colombia, Port-au-Prince in Haiti, Santo Domingo, San Juan in Puerto Rico and Miami in the United States. The Boeing 737-200 model aircraft arrived in the mid-1980s, bringing the fleet to 26 aircraft with this specification.

The year 1992 would mark the consolidation at the continental level of the airline, with the opening of the first flight connection center within Latin America based in Panama, called "Hub of the Americas" at the Tocumen International Airport. The destinations of Caracas (Venezuela), Mexico City (Mexico), Santiago de Chile (Chile), Cali and Bogotá (Colombia), Quito and Guayaquil (Ecuador), Lima (Peru), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and La Havana Cuba).

In 1998, Copa Airlines and the US airline Continental Airlines signed a strategic alliance, relaunching their brand with a new Copa Airlines image. In this way, the Panamanian airline adopts the OnePass® frequent flyer program. Two years later, it began renewing its fleet with Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft and expanded its network of destinations to Cancun, Orlando, São Paulo, Los Angeles and San Andrés.

In 2003, it receives the first Boeing 737-800 Next Generation and the shared agreement with Continental Airlines is extended.

In 2004, an agreement was signed for the acquisition of Brazilian Embraer 190 aircraft, with a firm order for 10 and an option for an additional 20.

In 2005, Copa Airlines acquired the Colombian airline AeroRepública, now Copa Airlines Colombia. That same year, Copa Holdings, S.A., the holding company for Copa Airlines shares, launched a public offering of 14 million shares on the New York Stock Exchange, thus becoming the third Latin American airline (after of the Chilean LAN and the Brazilian GOL) to be listed on this important financial market.

Between 2006 and 2008, Copa Airlines added 15 destinations to its connection network, including: Manaus, Maracaibo, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, San Pedro Sula and Santiago De Los Caballeros, Córdoba, Guadalajara, Punta Cana and Washington-Dulles, while becoming an associate member of the SkyTeam alliance.

In the following years, the Panamanian flag carrier announced the purchase of 13 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with the Boeing "Sky Interior" design, and added destinations such as the island of St. Maarten, In the Caribbean. In addition, in 2010 it announced its integration into the Star Alliance airline network, currently with 28 members.

In 2011, Copa Airlines began operating two new connection times, going from four to six connection times at Tocumen International Airport, and adding more frequencies to destinations such as Miami, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York, Bogotá, Tegucigalpa, Aruba, Punta Cana, Cancún, México DF, Santiago de Chile and Rio de Janeiro, and begins daily flights, previously non-daily, to destinations such as Guadalajara and Belo Horizonte.

Copa Airlines maintained its expansion plan and added nine destinations, among which are: Toronto, Porto Alegre, Brasilia, Nasáu, Montego Bay, Monterrey, Asunción, Chicago and Cúcuta.

It also launched its mobile site m.copaair.com, where its customers can register and obtain their boarding pass, check flight information, among other features from their mobile phones and announces a codeshare agreement with the Ecuadorian airline TAME, which will be effective in the first quarter of 2012.

In addition, it receives the new Boeing 737-800 Next Generation Sky Interior with performance improvements, being the 1st Latin American airline to have it in its fleet.

For the year 2012, 5 new destinations: Las Vegas in the United States, Willemstad in Curacao, Liberia in Costa Rica, Recife in Brazil, and to Iquitos in Peru. The increase in frequencies to various destinations and an interline agreement with Air Panama are also expected, which consists of connecting tourist destinations in Panama with Latin America. This agreement is expected to be effective in June 2012, when Air Panama begins flights from Panama City, Panama to Isla Colon, Bocas del Toro.

In 2013 it continued to expand frequencies and destinations: Boston and Tampa in the United States and in 2014 it announced Montreal in Canada, Fort Lauderdale in the United States and for the first time in Georgetown in Guyana, later adding Santa Clara, Cuba and Campinas in Brazil.

In 2015 it confirms its number 11 and 12 destinations in the United States: New Orleans and San Francisco. Copa Airlines once again serves the domestic market by flying twice a day to David and connecting the province of Chiriquí with its 74 destinations through the Hub of the Americas, later in August, it announces the opening of the route for the month of December to Belize City.

On April 11, 2015, Copa Airlines signed a contract for an order for 61 units of the type 8/9 MAX. It is the second Latin American airline to request the model, after Aeromexico, which requested 90 units.

On July 5, 2016, the suspension of the Panama-Puebla route was announced due to the economic problems facing the region. Copa Airlines is the most important airline in Central America.

In November 2017, flights began to Mendoza, Argentina and in December 2017, flights began to Denver, United States.

In July 2018, flights began to the cities of Fortaleza and Salvador de Bahía, Brazil. The route to Fortaleza was suspended in July 2019. The route to Bridgetown, Barbados also begins.

In September 2018, it received its first Boeing 737 MAX 9, which would be the first of an order for 61 Boeing 737 MAX family aircraft.

As of December 2018, the Puerto Vallarta-Riviera Nayarit route began with Panama City and 77 other destinations in North, Central, South America and the Caribbean, operated through the Hub of the Americas, in Panama City. This expands its route network to 79 destinations in 32 countries in North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean. It also started the route to Salta, Argentina.

For 2019, it began flying to Paramaribo (Suriname) as of July 6, 2019, becoming its 81st destination in 33 countries in North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean.

For 2022, it began flying to Mexico-AIFA (Mexico) as of September 26, 2022, becoming its 82nd destination in 33 countries in North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean.

It is the third airline in the world to receive a Boeing 737 Next Generation with the Split Scimitar Winglets (HP-1836CMP).

Destinations

Copa Airlines currently flies to 86 destinations in 33 countries, all within the American continent

Fleet

Current Fleet

Copa Airlines was the Embraer E-190 launch client in Latin America.

Boeing 737-700 from Copa Airlines.

Boeing 737-800 from Copa Airlines in New York, with an ad for the Museum of Biodiversity.

Boeing 737-800 Copa Airlines in Star Alliance Book at Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport

The Copa Airlines fleet is made up of a total of 89 aircraft, with an average age of 9.2 years (April 2023):

Historical Fleet

ConnectMiles

Copa Airlines, a subsidiary of Copa Holdings, S.A., {NYSE: CPA}, a member of the Star Alliance global airline network, unveiled ConnectMiles, its new loyalty program designed to strengthen the relationship with its frequent travelers and provide them with exclusive service. The program maintains the mileage accrual and redemption model that Copa Airlines passengers have enjoyed in recent years.

With the ConnectMiles program, members will be able to earn based on the distance flown, while they will have the opportunity to earn additional miles depending on the fare purchased and their status within the program, when flying with Copa Airlines.

Thanks to the connectivity of Copa Airlines, as a member of Star Alliance, the airline network that includes the most important air transport companies in the world, the ConnectMiles user will be able to earn and redeem miles to travel to more than 1,300 destinations in 192 countries in the world.

For their part, members of the ConnectMiles program will have more competitive redemption rates, adjusted to the Copa Airlines network, and will be able to access class upgrades using their miles when traveling with paid tickets. In addition, the requirements to qualify for a PreferProgram status will be more flexible and exclusive benefits such as courtesy upgrades will be available.

Club Cup

It is a VIP lounge that offers travelers a comfortable stay, as well as being able to hold business meetings, internet connection via wireless network, selection of newspapers and magazines, make calls or simply relax while passengers are waiting your flight.

Locations

• Panama City, Panama
• Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
• Guatemala City, Guatemala
• San José, Costa Rica
• Bogotá, Colombia

Copa Club members can also use their members' club, which offers other clubs in more locations.

Shared Codes

Copa Airlines currently has a code share with the following airlines:
(This list includes airlines that do NOT belong to the Star Alliance)

• Air Europa
• Air France
• Asiana Airlines ♪
• Avianca ♪
• Azul Linhas Airlines Brasileiras
• EVA Air ♪
• Emirates
• Gol Air Transports
• Iberia
• KLM
• Lufthansa ♪
• Turkish Airlines ♪
• United Airlines ♪

*- Member of Star Alliance.

Finances

Compañía Panameña de Aviación S.A.(Copa Airlines) is a subsidiary of Copa Holdings S.A., a public company regulated by the Security Exchange Commission.

It has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 2005 and is a member of the Star Alliance global airline network.

Accidents and incidents

• On June 6, 1992: Copa Airlines' 201 flight, a Boeing 737-200, departed from Panama City to Cali, Colombia. At the time of overflew the Darien Tapon, a gyroscope failure disoriented the captain of the aircraft, resulting in the loss of aircraft control. As a result of this unfortunate accident, 47 fatalities were recorded on board the flight.
• On 19 November 1993: Copa Airlines flight 301 a Boeing 737-112 left the track when landing at Tocumen International Airport, on a flight from Miami, United States, with 86 passengers and six crew members on board. The pilots failed to align the aircraft with the track because of severe cross winds. No injuries were reported and the plane was discharged.
• On May 21, 2012: around 10:00 p.m., a Copa Airlines plane from Guayaquil, Ecuador, with 107 passengers, left the track while landing at Tocumen International Airport. The right turbine of the aircraft was affected after making contact with the green area of the track. No passenger was injured.
• On November 30, 2012: at 5:30 p.m., a Copa Airlines plane left the track on the north side of the former Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito. The 155 passengers and six occupants were evacuated without drawbacks. The operation ended an hour later, at 6:30 p.m.
• On January 31, 2019: a 737-800 Copa Airlines landed emergency at Tocumen International Airport after receiving an intake of a bird in one of its engines. The plane was flying CM358 from Panama City to Guatemala City.
• On September 26, 2022: Copa Airlines Flight 135, a Boeing 737-800 that covered the Mexico City - Panama route, left the track on the night of September 26 when landing at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama's capital, apparently in the midst of adverse weather conditions. The flight carried 159 passengers and seven crew members, who were evacuated from the aircraft by the aircraft's slides. Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries.

Paintings

For the last 20 years, Copa Airlines has had multiple booklets on its aircraft. The last two booklets are similar to that used by United Airlines

Since its founding in 1947, Copa Airlines has used various different fuselage designs to commemorate sponsorships or relevant dates, such as the special ornament worn by its fleet of Boeing 737-700s in November 2003, in honor of 100 years of the Republic of Panama. The special livery consisted of the official centenary logo and the portrait of the first president of Panama, Manuel Amador Guerrero.

In 2006, an Embraer 190 sported a special livery denoting it is the Embraer 190 200 produced by the Brazilian manufacturer Embraer.

On February 3, 2011, Panama's tourism authority worked with Copa Airlines to create a special livery for a Boeing 737-800 with a Panama butterfly logo and the URL "visitpanama.com.&#3. 4;. This was part of an effort to promote tourism in Panama. As of 2013, the aircraft no longer has the logo on the left forward.

March 6, 2012, flew a new Copa Airlines Boeing 737-800 (registration HP-1728CMP) in Star Alliance livery. In addition, it introduced a font style and redesigned the Copa Airlines logo. This aircraft was inactive until June 21 of the same year, when it was exhibited at the celebration of the company's official integration into the Star Alliance. The aircraft started six days later, making the first scheduled non-stop passenger flight from Panama to Las Vegas. On May 30, 2012, another new Boeing 737-800 (registration HP-1823CMP) in Star Alliance livery.

Copa took delivery of a new Boeing 737-800 (registration HP-1825CMP, shown right) in October 2012, liverying the Gehry Biomuseo, a museum that opened in Panama City in October 2013.

In March 2013, a new Copa Airlines Boeing 737-800 (registration HP-1830CMP) with the Star Alliance livery scheme was received. This was the third aircraft in the fleet in Star Alliance livery.

In August 2014, Copa Airlines worked with the Panama Canal Authority to launch a special campaign in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Panama Canal. The campaign included the application of a special livery, which has a graphic image of the locks, on the back of two Boeing 737-800 aircraft and is expected to be implemented on more than 40 aircraft in the fleet.

Since 1947 to present, Copa Airlines has used the following liveries:

• Panama Aviation Company - (1947 - 1961)
• Back Cup - (1961 - 1965)
• Panama Cup (original) - white fuselage with a red or green cheatline (1965 – 1971)
• Panama Cup (1.a update) - red and orange cheatline with white fuselage (1971 – 1980)
• Panama Cup (2nd update) - red and yellow cheatline with white fuselage (1980 – 1990)
• Cup "Billboard style" - red and yellow cheatline white fuselage, and the logo of the "Copa" in the front of the wide and tail fuselage. (1990 – 1999)
• Copa Airlines - white and grey fuselage, with gold cheatline in the middle and the known world logo. (1999 - present)
• The white and grey livery has been used by Copa Airlines since 1999, after Continental lifted its company property to 51% in that year. Although Continental ceased its operations in March 2012 as a result of its merger with United Airlines, Copa and United still use the same book and the design of the "globo" logo, but the font styles of both airlines have changed.

As of October 2021, it has three 737-800s in Star Alliance livery (HP-1728CMP, HP-1823CMP and HP-1830CMP), one Boeing 737-800 (HP-1849CMP) in the livery dedicated to the loyalty program from the company ConnectMiles and a 737-800 with the livery of the Panamanian soccer team (HP-1534CMP). They previously had a 737-800 with livery of the 100 years of the Panama Canal (HP-1727CMP), a 737-800 with livery in honor of Rosario soccer (HP-1846CMP), two 737-800 with the livery of São Paulo Futebol Clube (HP-1829CMP and HP-1831CMP), a 737-800 in the livery of the 100th aircraft in the Copa Airlines fleet "Panama connects the Americas" (HP-1852CMP), a 737-800 liveried in honor of its 70th anniversary (HP-1711CMP), a 737-800 with the tail painted with the Major League Baseball logo (HP-1533CMP), an Embraer 190 (HP-1564CMP) with the livery dedicated to the loyalty program of the ConnectMiles company, a 737-800 with the livery of the Visit Panama tourism program (HP-1730CMP) and a 737-800 with the livery of the Museum of Biodiversity (HP-1825CMP). To commemorate the airline's 75th anniversary, a 737-800 was painted in the red and orange livery used in the 1970s. (HP-1841)

Acknowledgments

In 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017, Copa Airlines was awarded as the most punctual airline in Latin America by the FlightStats company, recognized globally for the veracity of its studies and data collection in the field of aviation international.

The award of having been recognized as the "Most Punctual Airline in Latin America" recognizes the best airlines worldwide for demonstrating their commitment to flight punctuality. For the ranking result, the number of regular flights was taken into account, the number of flights that were carried out successfully and was compared with the number of flights that departed within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure time, as well as the number of flights that arrived within 14 minutes of arrival time. With an annual average of 90.29% punctuality, Copa Airlines earned this recognition for the second consecutive year, even with these results it improved its own records from 2013, the year in which it achieved 89.40% punctuality.