Copa adds another non stop direct flight to Panama. One day we hope to hear that Copa will fly Miami to David or Houston to David non-stop. That day will come eventually.
Ben Mutzabaugh, USA TODAY – Copa Airlines will make Boston its newest U.S. gateway, saying it will launch flights to its Panama City hub this July. The carrier will fly one daily round-trip flight on Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Boston Logan Airport officials say the flight will be the city’s first-ever regularly scheduled nonstop link to Panama.
“We are extremely pleased to launch the only nonstop service between Boston, an important academic, business and tourist destination, and Panama,” Copa CEO Pedro Heilbron says in a release announcing the new route. “Copa’s new flight will offer not only the fastest and most direct way to fly from Boston to Panama; it also will provide Boston-area business and leisure travelers the most convenient connections to many other destinations in Latin America, including Brazil; Colombia; San José, Costa Rica; Lima, Peru; and Santiago, Chile.”
Boston will become Copa’s eighth U.S. destination. The others are: Chicago O’Hare, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, Orlando and Washington Dulles.
Airport officials in Boston say that prior to Copa’s new route, Boston had been the biggest U.S. market without nonstop service to Latin America.
“Nonstop service to Latin America will open up new opportunities to allow Massachusetts businesses to compete in the 21st century global marketplace,” Gov. Deval Patrick says in a release. “The service will increase tourism here at home and connect our residents with friends and family in Latin America.”
The Massachusetts Port Authority that runs Boston Logan notes Copa’s new Boston-Panama City service was fostered by the agency’s International Air Service Incentive Program.
That, Massport notes, “applies to new nonstop international service to destinations in Asia, Central America, South America, Africa, and the Middle East. The incentive program includes landing fee credits and joint advertising opportunities.”
Massport says the goal of the program “is not … to subsidize a service that is not likely to be self-sufficient, but to help minimize the initial business risk of the air carrier. In doing so, Massport also expects to improve utilization of Boston Logan’s international Terminal E, as Asia, Latin America and Middle East flights would operate during current off-peak hours. Massport is undertaking the program to compete with other airports around the country, most of which offer some type of financial incentive to attract new international air service.”