The airlines claim there is a need to improve air traffic management at Tocumen airport, because “it is useless to have a new terminal if the planes cannot land.”
Panama is at risk of losing competitiveness to other air hubs, such as Bogotá, if it does not take measures to reduce air congestion at Panama City’s international airport, where 3 to 7 minutes delays are reported on flights, due to the fact that the number of air channels is not sufficient for the number of frequencies that operate there.
“… “There will not be much use in having a new passenger terminal, nor in Copa Airlines buying more planes if there is no way to land or take off from Tocumen,” said airline CEO Pedro Heilbron.
Prensa.com reports that in order to solve the problem, the Civil Aeronautics Authority (AAC), “… is finishing writing the specifications to hire a consultant to modify Panamanian air routes.”
Source: Prensa.com
Hi Tom… I really appreciated your article about Tocumen’s inability to handle the desired air space and landing needs for commercial airlines.
Perhaps that is the reason that it is so difficult to EXIT Panama easily.
I live in David. An airport where NO international flights will land because of airport design shortcomings.
SO… David has an airport that International Flights will not land at because it is not up to standards for International Airports.
I have not seen any progress to correct the deficiencies at the airport in David.
Perhaps ALL the POWERS to make decisions are having a siesta…
Oh well… Living in a developing country is a never ending learning experience!
Hi again Tom…
I am very happy living in Panama (David).
Not a single day goes by in my life… where I am not able to identify areas for improvement.
I am constantly ‘stopping myself’ from those thoughts…
and just enjoying living in a country that is far behind the times.
They may never catch up in my lifetime… and that’s okay.
I love it here… and will continue living here even with the frustrations of living in the 70’s.