Copa Holdings announced that effective today, the Colombian airline Aero will operate under the name Copa Airlines Colombia.
The new name will integrate destinations, routes and services currently offered by Copa Airlines and Aero Republica. Among the benefits it will have access to the Hub of the Americas in Panama, which connects over 45 destinations worldwide through more than 160 daily flights to North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
The airline Aero República has announced a new flight between Guatemala City and Bogota with stops in Costa Rica and Panama.
The frequency of the new flight will be daily from Monday to Friday and seeks to attract business passengers.
"Rudy Keller, general manager of Copa Airlines Guatemala, owning group of Aero República, commented that the market's demand for a new route to Bogota has grown due to an increase in corporate travel," reports Prensalibre.com.
In the second quarter of 2010, Copa Airlines recorded net income of $18.6 million, 66% less than in the same period of 2009 when it was $55.2 million.
The company's total revenue increased 9.3% to $303 million and its capacity was also up 5%. However, its performance per passenger mile fell 2.5% to $0.152, largely due to lower prices in Venezuela and Colombia.
Colombian airline Aerorepública, an ally of Copa, announced its third daily frequency between both capitals.
It will be served with Brazilian Embraer 190 planes, which will include executive class.
“Roberto Junguito, Aerorepública president, remarked that this new frequency, the fifth operated in alliance with Copa Airlines, ‘positions us as the most schedule-convenient option to fly to Panama’”.
The Civil Aviation Authority approved 17 new international air routes, many to Central America and the Caribbean.
These include Avianca’s requests to fly to Tegucigalpa, San Salvador, Montreal, Frankfurt, Toronto, Guatemala, Madrid, and La Habana. Most of these will depart from Bogotá and make a stop in Panama with 2, 3 or 7 weekly frequencies respectively.
The airline moved 13.5% more passengers when compared to the same period of 2009.
Copa reported that its passengers flew 663.8 million miles on March 2010, versus 584.7 million miles on March 2009.
“Copa operates 150 daily flights to 24 countries in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean while Aero República flies to 10 cities in Colombia”.
The Colombian carrier, owned by Copa Holdings S.A., announced its intention to fly to all of Central America.
It currently operates mostly in Colombia, with flights to Venezuela and Panama.
Lupita Arenas Caicedo, regional sales director "announced today in San José [Costa Rica]", "its intention of fly to Costa Rica and the rest of the Central American countries", reported Elfinancierocr.com.
From August 7th, Aero República will operate a new Barranquilla - Panama flight, three times a week.
The new flight leaves Barranquilla at 7:32 AM, and lands in Panama City at 8:47 AM, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The return route takes off from Tocumen airport at 8:13 PM, landing in Barranquilla at 9:28 PM, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Copa Holdings S.A., a holding company of Copa Airlines y Aero República, gained $51.9 in the fourth quarter of 2008, 46.1% more than the same period of 2007.
The operating revenue of the business, which lists in the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker CPA, were $84 million -an increase of 95.5% in comparison with $43 million obtained in the last quarter of 2007.