In this article by by , he gives 5 good reasons why.
Copa Airlines will start offering non-stop flights four times a week between New Orleans and Panama on June 24, the airline announced in February. But why should anyone in New Orleans, beyond Pan-American Life executives and those with family and friends in Panama, care?
In an interview, Greater New Orleans, Inc. president and CEO Michael Hecht offered five reasons why New Orleanians should take advantage the city’s new direct connection to Panama City.
1. Panama is the “gateway to the Americas”
Acquiring a new direct flight to Panama represents a “re-opening of the Gateway to the Americas,” Hecht said. Flying non-stop from New Orleans to Panama allows one to connect to 52 destinations in Central and South American without having to pass through immigration twice.
2. Panama City is the “Dubai of Central America”
Panama City has seen explosive growth in trade with the projected widening of the Panama Canal, which is scheduled for completion this year and will allow for vessels up to three times the current size. The boom in high rises and office buildings that has reconfigured its skyline has drawn comparisons to Dubai.
3. Panama City has its own French Quarter
For those interested in tourism or Central American history, there is Casco Viejo, Panama City’s historic district, which Hecht compared to “the French Quarter with hills.” A designated world heritage site, Casco Viejo (an Spanish reference to “Old Town”) contains the earliest buildings of the modern city of Panama, dating back to the 1670’s. UNESCO’s website offers a gallery of photos and more information about the district.
4. The Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is one of the man-made wonders of the world. In Panama City, an observation center allows visitors to witness the construction of the new locks, considered one of the largest infrastructure projects of the 21st century.
5. Copa Airlines offers free alcohol in coach
Copa boasts high customer satisfaction ratings and a 90-percent on-time rating, according to flightstats.com. They also offer free alcohol in coach during the flight. “It’s flying the way it used to be,” Hecht said.
Flights to Panama depart on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 6:55 a.m. and arrive at Copa’s Hub of the Americas at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City at 10:19 a.m. Return flights depart Panama on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 6:33 p.m. and arrive in New Orleans at 10:02 pm.
The plane, a Boeing 737-700, has seating for 12 passengers in first-class and 112 in the main cabin. Flight time is approximately three and a half hours.
On Friday morning (May 22), Hecht joined Copa Airlines CEO Pedro Heilbron and Louis Armstrong International Airport Director of Aviation Iftikhar Ahmad to discuss the upcoming launch of the first Copa Airlines flights between Panama and New Orleans. The invite-only event, held at the Westin Ballroom in downtown New Orleans, attracted around a 100 regional business leaders.