Barbados joined Copa Airlines’ route map on 17 July, the day that the Star Alliance member launched a twice-weekly (Tuesdays and Fridays) service from its Panama City base. On hand to greet the inaugural flight at the Caribbean island airport was Kerrie Symmonds, Minister of Tourism and International Transport, who presented Barbados-born Copa Airlines Captain Marc Holford with a gift as a thank you for operating the first return service to Panama City.

Copa Airlines launched flights between Panama City and Fortaleza on 18 July. Present at the Brazilian airport to help cut the ribbon to officially open the route were: Denise Carra, Assistant Secretary, Secretariat of Tourism of Fortaleza; Sabine Trenk, COO, Fraport Brasil;  Emerson Sanglard, Country Manager Brazil, Copa Airlines; and Régis Medeiros, Secretariat of Tourism of Fortaleza. The airline will operate the city pair twice-weekly (Wednesdays and Sundays).

Copa Airlines launched two routes form its home base of Panama City (PTY) this week, starting on 17 July with a twice-weekly (Tuesdays and Fridays) service to Barbados (BGI). The airline will serve the 2,214-kilometre sector using its mixed fleet of 737-700s and 737-800s when referring to OAG schedules, with no other carrier presently serving the airport pair. The following day, the Star Alliance member launched its latest route to Brazil, with it now offering a twice-weekly (Wednesdays and Sundays) rotation to Fortaleza (FOR). The airline will serve its ninth destination in Brazil using its fleet of 737-800s, with no direct competition being offered on the 4,746-kilometre sector. Along with Fortaleza, Copa serves Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro Galeao, Salvador de Bahia and Sao Paulo Guarulhos in Brazil. See how Barbados and Fortaleza airports’ FTWAs compare to others from around the world.