To kick off my two trips to the Southern Hemisphere, I first flew Copa Airlines from Miami to Panama City. Copa is one of only two Star Alliance airlines I had never flown before (with the other being Shenzhen Airlines), so I was looking forward to this flight. While Copa is a nifty airline in…
Continue reading: Review: Copa Airlines Business Class 737 (MIA-PTY)
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
iAero Airways
Red Air maybe to Santo Domingo
Bad Bunny(and Adidas)'s plane maybe to Puerto Rico
Boliviana de Aviación
Looks identical to my Copa flight back in 2011 (and it probably is). Glad they have a new product but they badly need to introduce it across their fleet. When the compliments are centered around "I like the stitching on the seats" you know what you're in for...
My attempt at your quiz (I'll disclose I frequent MIA and may have already researched all of these before out of personal intrigue. I share your enthusiasm for MIA planespotting!):
Pic 1: RED Airlines MD-82's, heading to SDQ.
iAero (Swift air livery) 737 classics (-300 or -400) heading to who knows? Charter carrier. Best guess: HAV?
Pic 2: Boliviana de Aviacion 767-300ER to VVI
GlobalX Badbunny livery A320 to who knows? Charter.
If you book using Lifemiles, it may not show on the COPA website. In 2021, I booked COPA Wash. Dulles to Bogota through Panama. Using Lifemiles, I got two business class tickets. Luckily, when I went to the COPA website, I immediately printed out the itinerary as I could never find the reservation again on the website. But the itinerary was difficult to read. I thought it said !:40 pm when it was 1:40 am but when I called the day before to confirm the flight, I discovered the error on my part. The agent said that Avianca lifemiles award bookings did not show on the COPA website. In any event, it was old school Continental business class with few amenities and the old seats which were not very comfortable for an overnight "sleep." In fact, if I had known, I would not have booked that flight for an overnight flight in a packed plane having to wear masks.
Yep, that's Copa! But warts and all, Copa is my favorite airline in the region. Copa consistently gets the basics right (good safety and on-time record, friendly and helpful staff) when pretty much every other Latin American carrier is hit or miss.
Ah the Cuba Concourse.... iAero (formerly Swift), World Atlantic, and anybody else roped in this week. The corresponding ticket counters are quite the sight to see with carts and carts of luggage and appliances. I used to stand there with my ramp manager in awe wondering how that all fits in MD-80 bin...
Agreed, and the meals on Copa flights from and to the U.S. are surprisingly delicious.
I wasnt impressed IAD-PAN-SAT CHILE. Very uncomfortable for that long and weren't yold it was just a lounge chair beforehand. Food was not biz class standard IMHO. The good thing was the connection at Panama took all of one minute, we got off the airplane and back on the Santiago flight and left.
Yes, that's what it is. Copa is a solid option to fly, nothing fance, but totally ok. They are often on time, their hub in Panama is well organized (a bit bare bone, but efficient), the food on longer flights is really nice, the wine is nice and offered also on shorter segments. And given its huge network, it gets very easily from where you want to leave to where you want to be, even if both are not major hubs (e.g. Toronto to Asunción anyone? no problem on Copa).
That Turkish lounge in the South Terminal is one of the saddest lounges I've been to. Almost always a line to enter, thronged with people, never any open seats, kids screaming, cell phone videos blaring, trash and dirty dishes everywhere, and - worst of all - still no self-service food or drink options, almost three years after Covid.
Turkish has such terrific lounges that it's hard to believe this one is allowed to carry the logo.
The first picture of the planes from left to right is a 737-800, another 737-800, 717, 737, and an MD-80. The second picture is a A320 to San Juan and a BOA airlines 767 to Santa Cruz la Sierra in Bolivia. Please tell me if these are right
The first picture of the planes from left to right is a 737-800, another 737-800, 717, 737, and an MD-80. The second picture is a A320 to San Juan and a BOA airlines 767 to Santa Cruz la Sierra in Bolivia. Please tell me if these are right
My business class seat on Copa is awful. The cabin literally (not figuratively) smells like urine. There is ample leg-room, but that's the *only* amenity on this plane. I can't believe I paid $1,500 for this filthy seat. This is the last time I'll use Copa Airlines. I'm pretty horrified.