Copa Airlines announces two new destinations, strengthening its route network

Copa Airlines announces two new destinations, strengthening its route
network
August 4, 2014

Copa Airlines, subsidiary of Copa Holdings, SA, has announced
accomplishments for the first half of 2014 and growth plans for the
second half, including the addition of two new direct flights, from
Panama to Campinas, Brazil and Cayo Santa Maria, Cuba.

The additions reflect the airline's continued leadership in the region,
and offer passengers from the two new destinations the fastest and most
convenient way to connect through the Hub of the Americas in Panama with
the rest of the continent.

"Through the years, Copa Airlines has demonstrated its dedication to
world-class service, providing passengers the most efficient
connectivity on travel to and from North, Central, and South America and
the Caribbean", said Pedro Heilbron, Copa CEO. "These two new
destinations will strengthen Copa's extensive route network, fostering
business growth in Campinas and increasing regional tourism in the
spectacular Cayo Santa Maria".

For the first half of 2014, the airline showed a capacity increase,
measured in available seat miles, of 11 percent, and transported 5.7
million passengers, airline officials announced.

During the first six months of 2014, Copa Airlines added four new Boeing
Next Generation 737-800 aircraft equipped with the innovative Split
Scimitar Winglets to its fleet, bringing its total to 94 aircraft.
FlightStats named Copa the airline with the best on-time record in South
America, and Aviation Week magazine named Copa "2013 Airline of the
Year" for its performance, efficiency and the effectiveness of its
business model.

During the second half of 2014, Copa will add four new high-tech Boeing
737-800 Next Generation aircraft, bringing its fleet total to 98
aircraft and increasing the number of available seats by 10 percent over
2013. In addition, the airline will inaugurate a fourth flight simulator
and launch a new Aviation Maintenance Technicians internal development
program.

Copa Airlines continues to strengthen its contribution to Panama's
economic and social development, airline officials state, translating
directly and indirectly to more than 38,000 jobs and an approximately
4.1 percent share of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP),
according to an International Air Transport Association (IATA) study on
Economic Benefits of Panama Air Transport.

New destinations:

- Campinas, Brazil: Copa Airlines will offer one daily flight to
Campinas, its eighth destination in Brazil. Called the "Silicon Valley"
of Brazil, Campinas is home to the second largest concentration of
research and development centres in the country. It is also boasts
Brazil's fourth-largest financial sector. The new flight will begin
operating in December 2014.
- Cayo Santa María, Cuba: Copa Airlines will offer two weekly flights to
its second destination in Cuba, increasing tourist access to beautiful
beaches; hotel accommodations including many "all inclusive" hotels,
approximately 12,500 rooms, 5-star hotels and the the Pedraplén de
Caibarién, an impressive 48km road stretching across the sea to Cayo
Santa Maria, awarded the international "Puente de Alcántara" prize for
best Latin American civil works. This new flight will also begin
operation in December 2014.
With the addition of these new destinations, by the end of 2014 Copa
Airlines will offer flights to 69 destinations in 30 countries in North,
Central, and South America and the Caribbean from its Hub of the
Americas at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, Panama. The
Hub of the Americas continues to offer more international flights to
destinations in Latin America than any other airline.

Source: Copa Airlines announces two new destinations, strengthening its
route network |ETB News Australia -
http://australia.etbnews.com/219430/copa-airlines-announces-two-new-destinations-strengthening-route-network/