Copa Airlines announced that after a seven-month hiatus due to travel restrictions in the region relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, the carrier is resuming operations from Broward County's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Panama's Tocumen International Airport (PTY) in Panama, the Hub of the Americas.
Starting Monday, November 23, 2020, Copa will initially operate up to three weekly flights between Fort Lauderdale and Panama's capital city. From FLL, flight CM 266 will depart at 1:17 p.m. and arrive in Panama at 4:30 p.m., local time. Returning, flight CM 265 will depart PTY at 10:52 a.m., arriving in Fort Lauderdale at 2:04 p.m., local time. Copa will operate this flight with a Boeing 737-800 Next-Generation aircraft, which can accommodate 160 passengers, 16 in business class and 144 in the main cabin.
"The opportunity of connecting Fort Lauderdale again through our Hub of the Americas gives us a lot of optimism. These flights will allow Copa Airlines to serve thousands of passengers who wish to return to their homes, reunite with their families, visit their favorite vacation destinations, attend to health issues, important meetings, family or professional matters," said Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines. "We are committed to the economic and tourism development of the countries we operate and we will continue to focus on gradually reestablishing the vital connectivity we offered before the pandemic."
The Fort Lauderdale to Panama nonstop flight will offer connectivity to several destinations Copa currently serves in the Americas. From Panama, Copa flies to Santiago, Chile; Montevideo, Uruguay; Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Sao Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Bogota, Cali, Medellin, Colombia; Georgetown, Guyana; Guayaquil, Quito, Ecuador; Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Argentina; Lima, Peru; Guatemala City, Guatemala; and San Jose, Costa Rica.
"We are thrilled to welcome back Copa Airlines to once again offer travelers another gateway to Latin America through Panama City," said Mark E. Gale, CEO/Director of Aviation. "At FLL, we have enjoyed having Copa as a valued airline partner to Panama since July 2014.”
At Copa Airlines, our main priority is the safety and well-being of our passengers and employees. As a result, we have implemented and continue to reinforce all sanitary, hygiene, and biosafety measures to offer passengers a safe environment at every stage of their trip. These measures have been successfully developed by a board of medical specialists in biosafety measures, following the national and international health authorities' recommendations.
All of our aircraft are equipped with high-efficiency (HEPA) filters that remove up to 99.97% of airborne particles, including viruses and bacteria, similar to hospitals operating rooms. In addition, the cabin air recirculation system renews the airflow every two to three minutes, and the air is supplied vertically, which prevents it from being shared among passengers. This, combined with the use of mandatory face masks at all times, results in a highly hygienic and safe environment.
All passengers must comply with the immigration and health requirements determined by the airline, and the Panamanian and the destination's authorities. To learn more about these measures and additional information, visit copa.com or the airlines' official social media platforms.
For available tickets and purchase options, visit copa.com or contact a preferred travel agency. Passengers with Copa Airlines valid tickets will be able to modify their flight dates without penalty charges.
Flights are subject to restrictions, government approvals and changes. Some countries remain with entry restrictions and only allow national and residents.
