Copa has entered the club of airlines with 100 or more aircrafts after receiving its 100th machine in Seattle.
“This is a great honor for us. With this aircraft we will continue to dominate in Central American skies, offering our passengers 74 world destinations. It is a great day for us”, announced CFO of the company, Jose Montero.
Copa was founded in 1944 and began operations in 1947. In less than two decades the airline has doubled its fleet.
The 100th plane left the Boeing factory in Seattle on the 20th of November and arrived to its main destination from now on the same day in the afternoon.
Panamanian airline is the second biggest in Latin America after GOL, with the biggest fleet of Boeing 737’s, which is according to its producer, is the most popular aircraft nowadays.
Copa owns or leases a total of 63 Boeing NG 737-800, 14 of 737-700 New Generation, and besides 23 Embraer 190AR, the latter is manufactured in Brazil.
Boeing 737 is the best-seller of commercial aircraft industry, capable of carrying up to 170 passengers and with the flight range of up to 5,570 km.
Currently Boeing, the US aviation leader, is working on the design and manufacture of the new generation of 737’s, the MAX, which will be a more efficient aircraft with consumption of 20% less fuel. The aircraft is expected to begin commercial flights in 2017.
“737 is a great aircraft, which allowed Panama to be connected to the rest of the world. The aircraft is capable of reaching San Francisco or Uruguay (5,350 and 5,472 km respectively)”, added Montero.
During the last Summit of the Americas, held in Panama in April, Boeing and Copa signed an agreement for acquisition of 61 new aircrafts. The arrival of new aircraft will begin in 2018.
