Carriers are hopeful that direct air service will resume in the coming months despite an ongoing federal prohibition on flights between the US and Venezuela.
The US, which banned all air transport with Venezuela 13 months ago, has fined Copa Airlines $450,000 for “unlawfully transporting passengers” between the two countries.
Aviation consultancy ASM has helped to secure a major new international route for Suriname with the confirmation that Star Alliance member Copa Airlines is to launch a twice weekly service from the South American country to Panama City.
United is moving deeper into Latin America after reaching a deal with Copa Airlines and Avianca for a joint venture on routes between the US and 19 countries in Central and South America.
Delta Air Lines was named the world’s most on-time airline in 2017 with an on-time performance of 85.9 percent – the first US-based airline to win the global airline category since the awards were created.
The point-to-point business model of the start-up will be supported with a simple organisational structure to maintain low operating costs and deliver low fares and a customised offering to consumers with ancillary charges for hold baggage, seating selection and boarding as well as food and drinks.
The new route to Chiclayo will foster economic development in northern Peru, enhancing opportunities for stronger commercial ties with the American continent and will complement the airline’s existing flights into Lima. It extends the airline’s ‘Hub of the Americas’ operation from Tocumen International Airport in Panama City to 76 cities in 31 countries in North, Central, South America and the Caribbean.
Copa already has more than 20 years of experience in the Cuban market and now offers seven daily flights between Panama City and Havana and since 2014 also a four times weekly link to Santa Clara. According to schedule data, the airline has grown its annual capacity into Cuba by 77.1 per cent since the start of the decade, an average annual rise of 15.4 per cent.
The new twice weekly link between Panama City and Belize City will be introduced from December 8, 2015 and will be operated using 94-seat Embraer 190 equipment configured with 10 seats in business class and 84 in the main cabin. Following its addition to the Copa Airlines route map, the carrier’s network now covers 75 cities in 31 countries in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean.
The four-times-weekly flights will operate between Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) and the airlines main base in Panama City, and will offer convenient connections to more than 55 destinations in Central and South America.
Ahead of this year's Routes Americas forum, Routesonline is providing a snapshot on the leading airlines and airports and most used aircraft types across the region. Here we look closely at the airlines serving the Caribbean and highlight the region's top performers.
