The second terminal under construction will not be enough to meet projected demand by 2020, therefore a third airport expansion is being considered.
The authorities at Tocumen SA have projected that by 2020 the average annual number of passengers who transit through the international airport in Panama City will amount to 20 million and the second terminal, in which they are investing $800 million, will exceed its capacity in 2022.
Anpanama.com reports that “… The current expansion (T2), whose construction has a cost of US $800 million, will incorporate 85,000 square meters of buildings, 20 new boarding gates and 8 remote controlled doors. After the work, the airport will have a total of 68 departure and arrivals gates in an area of ??148,000 square meters. Although we the next stage is being analyzed, the administrator of Tocumen SA, Joseph Fidanque III said it is possible to increase the capacity of the T2 with the addition of an additional 12 gates into the current design, which would be possible, in his words, “for relatively little money.”
“… The initiative has been welcomed by members of the tourism sector. Moses Veliz, president of the Tourism Commission of the Panamanian Association of Business Executives, who has also been involved in the world of aviation, said a third extension is necessary because when the T2 opens, it will be full up. “
There are 100’s of millions to upgrade the Tocumen airport, but there are not a couple of millions to relocate the fuel tanks at David’s airport and bring it to international standards, which would allow US airlines direct flights to the US. The fuel tanks proximity to the passengers terminal at David’s airport does not meet international regulations and foreign airlines cannot fly in. I suspect this is being done purposely to grant Copa a monopoly.