Copa Holdings’ ULCC subsidiary Wingo will operate its first domestic flights in Panama on Aug. 11 after securing a Panamanian air operator certificate.

The new offshoot, known as Wingo Panama, will connect Panama Pacifico, a mixed-use real estate development in Veracruz, with David, the capital of Chiriquí Province in western Panama. Flights will operate twice a week on Fridays and Sundays using Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Wingo Panama will be the sole carrier on the 196-mi. (171-nm) Panama Pacifico-David sector, data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser shows.

“We are very excited to continue in our growth process and to take the service and the Wingo model, successfully tested in Colombia, to other latitudes in Latin America,” Wingo CEO Eduardo Lombana says.

“With our first operation to David, we increase the connectivity options for locals and visitors, resulting in a greater benefit for the entire national hotel and tourism ecosystem.”

Copa Holdings, owner of Panama-based Copa Airlines, launched the Wingo brand in 2016 to further the company’s expansion in the Colombian market. Bogota-based Wingo currently operates nine 737-800s on 35 routes, serving 23 cities and 11 countries.

Speaking during a Aug. 9 earnings discussion, Copa Holdings CEO Pedro Heilbron said Wingo has added some domestic flights in Colombia following the demise of Viva and Ultra Air, but the group has no plans to grow Wingo’s presence significantly in the near term.

Wingo Panama’s launch will provide competition for Air Panama, which has a 40% share of seat capacity in Panama’s domestic market. Copa Airlines commands the remaining 60%, although only operates one domestic route, linking Panama City Tocumen with David using 737-700s and 737-800s.