Future of Aviation in Panama

Each time I have family visit from the United States, I contact Tocumen Royal Saloon for VIP meet and greet service.  I send them the details of the parties, arrival flight and time as well as the name of the driver that I will have ready to pick them up.  Upon arrival and leaving the plane, they are met at the gate by a host or hostess that greets them and escorts them through the immigration and customs section without waiting in line!  From there they offer up their passport and luggage ticket and they are brought to the private lounge where they can relax while everything is processed for them including the call to the driver when the luggage is ready.  They are then brought to the car where they are asked to double check that all of their bags are in order and depart.  Now try to get that arranged in the US or most other countries and well, good luck and enjoy the pat down!!    These are but a few of the ways we can make your visit a pleasant experience from the beginning so go ahead and book that trip to Panama and by the way, get ready for a lot more people doing that in the future.

It is expected that 14 million passengers will pass through Tocumen Airport in 2025, almost triple the amount of 2010.

According to several industry representatives, the main challenge will be the growth of airport infrastructure, which eventually will become a constraint for the sector.
Ofelia Barcenas, solutions manager for the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said the agency is working to streamline all processes related to passenger transit, such as migration and security. Some examples are the use of electronic tickets and collecting boarding passes using smartphones.

She added that despite these optimizations, growth in infrastructure is key. She acknowledged the existence of expansion projects, such as the South Terminal, currently under implementation and valued at $400 million, but noted that these are complex and will take years to complete.

A key role will be played by Copa Airlines, which operates its main hub from Tocumen Airport in Panama. The company has major plans for 2013, such as adding 17 aircraft, 11 destinations and 1,150 employees.

According to the airline spokesman, Carlos Alvarado, “the key to sustainability is that the infrastructure must accompany and be consistent with the growth of the industry.”