This was the first time I flew with COPA - Compañía Panameña de Aviación, S.A., the flag carrier of Panama. This is a frugal carrier, with 2 attendants serving the economy cabin, whether it was the Embraer 190 or a Boeing 737. I was told by the travel agent that Panama is the hub for Central America and to get to South America, using COPA is the clear choice. I read in some sky forum that their customer service was poor, but that was not my experience. In the economy cabin, their service was far more friendlier than British Airways.
The Tocumen International Airport at Panama was bustling with people, with departure gates packed very closely to each other. The airport is the home of COPA and every corner you turn, you will find COPA crew everywhere. They are a young bunch. According to their literature, COPA have a fleet of over 85 airplanes, mostly Boeing 737s.
Bang on the main thoroughfare of the Tocumen Airport is this small chapel for passengers who want a quiet moment to say a prayer or two. It brings home to me how devout South Americans are. There are an estimated 1.2 billion Roman Catholics in the world, according to Vatican figures; more than 40% of them live in Latin America.
The flight from Panama to Santiago, Chile took 6 long hours. The cabin was packed with restless and boisterous youngsters on holiday. Thankfully there was in flight entertainment to drown out the noise. The crew served a hot dog and then a main meal. Both were enjoyable airplane food. Another surprise.
The Tocumen International Airport at Panama was bustling with people, with departure gates packed very closely to each other. The airport is the home of COPA and every corner you turn, you will find COPA crew everywhere. They are a young bunch. According to their literature, COPA have a fleet of over 85 airplanes, mostly Boeing 737s.
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| A COPA airplane being serviced at Tocumen Airport |
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| A corner of the Tocumen Airport, Panama |
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| COPA aircraft lining up to take off at Tocumen Airport |
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| Aerial view of Panama City |
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| The chapel at Tocumen Airport |
The flight from Panama to Santiago, Chile took 6 long hours. The cabin was packed with restless and boisterous youngsters on holiday. Thankfully there was in flight entertainment to drown out the noise. The crew served a hot dog and then a main meal. Both were enjoyable airplane food. Another surprise.
