Copa Airlines (Panama City) has announced growth plans for the first half of 2014, which include the launch of new nonstop flights from Panama to Montreal (Trudeau); Canada, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood, Florida, and Georgetown, Guyana.  In addition, Copa will add aircraft to its fleet, for a 10 percent growth in capacity.

The airline will add eight new Boeing Next Generation 737-800 aircraft in 2014, bringing its total fleet to 98 state-of-the-art aircraft, and increasing capacity by 10 percent.

New Destinations:

• Montreal, Canada: As part of its effort to increase its route network in the northern part of the continent, Copa will offer four-times-weekly flights to the city of Montreal, a major world cultural center and a well-known tourism destination. The new flight, which will begin June 3 of this year, is Copa’s second Canadian destination.
• Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood, Florida: Copa will offer flights four times a week between Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and the Hub of the Americas, beginning July 11, 2014.  The coastal region, with its booming tourism industry and growing Latin American population, will be Copa’s fourth destination in the state of Florida and its 10^th in the United States.
• Georgetown, Guyana: Beginning July 11, 2014, Copa will offer twice-weekly flights to Georgetown, the capital and principal city of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. The new route, Copa Airlines’ first to this South American country, connects the area with Panama and the region.

The new cities served will bring Copa Airlines’ total number of destinations to 69 in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean served from its Hub of the Americas at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, Panama – the hub with the most destinations and international flights on the continent.

Copa Airlines major accomplishments for 2013 include:

• Transported 11,316,678 million passengers
• Increased capacity by 14 percent
• Received Skytrax awards for “Best Airline and “Best Cabin and Airport Crew” in Central Americaand the Caribbean
• Added two destinations to its route network: Boston, Massachusetts, and Tampa, Florida.
• Added 13 flight frequencies to key destinations already served.
• Achieved an on-time performance of nearly 90 percent, on par with the best airlines in the world
• Received seven new Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft, ending 2013 with a fleet of 90 aircraft
• Ended the year with 8,644 employees throughout the Americas, of which 5,783 are in Panama.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8V3 HP-1825CMP (msn 40780) in the colorful “Biomuseo” livery climbs briskly from the runway at Los Angeles International Airport.

Copa Airlines: