It's been long rumored and finally announced, but no action. When will COPA join Star? Any anticipated date? It's frustrating when they announce the hoopla but do nothing about it. Tickle my foot, but you better scratch my itchy foot!
In 2005, they announced they would fly to Toronto. Finally in 2011, they serve Toronto. So 2011 announcement, expect COPA to join STAR in 2017. FIRM! NO COMPROMISE.

Also, when is AviancaTaca joining STAR? Their chance of joining Star in 2012 is 500 times higher than COPA joining STAR in this millennium.

Dude, calm down! CM never announced YYZ service in 2005, it was just widely rumoured based upon a job posting. I expect that CM will join before AV, since CM essentially uses all the same systems that CO does, so they are already harmonized for Star Alliance membership. For the record, both CM and AV are scheduled to join Star in mid-2012.

The intended plans for Avianca, TACA and COPA consisted to be part of Star Alliance in 2012.
However, I don't think it would happen shortly.
Here's a good reading related to this topic:

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...pect-to-formally-join-star-in.html

Regards.

Quoting usflyer msp (Reply 2): CM never announced YYZ service in 2005, it was just widely rumoured based upon a job posting.

CM had been studying YYZ for quite sometime, giving hints they wanted to fly to Canada, but the old Panama-Canada bilateral plus YYZ curfew hours didn't favour CM starting YYZ sooner.

CM already uses CO/UA systems and frequent flyer programme, with that in consideration, CM entrance should be less traumatic than AV/TA and probably might happen before them.

Quoting 2travel2know2 (Reply 4): CM had been studying YYZ for quite sometime, giving hints they wanted to fly to Canada, but the old Panama-Canada bilateral plus YYZ curfew hours didn't favour CM starting YYZ sooner. CM already uses CO/UA systems and frequent flyer programme, with that in consideration, CM entrance should be less traumatic than AV/TA and probably might happen before them.

Would they have an aircraft with the legs for this route? I wonder as well if they could do a YYZ - GDL - PTY as an option? Or would it just make more sense to focus on ORD and use CO/UA to connect traffic from Canada through there?

Quoting YXXMIKE (Reply 5): Would they have an aircraft with the legs for this route? I wonder as well if they could do a YYZ - GDL - PTY as an option? Or would it just make more sense to focus on ORD and use CO/UA to connect traffic from Canada through there?

B737-700/800
Compare distances PTY-MVD CM longest flight with PTY-YYZ ( thanks http://www.gcmap.com )

PTY (9°04'17"N 79°23'00"W) MVD (34°50'18"S 56°01'51"W) 154.4° (SE) 5447 km
PTY (9°04'17"N 79°23'00"W) YYZ (43°40'38"N 79°37'50"W) 359.7° (N) 3835 km

Focus ORD, wouldn't really work, CM ORD schedule most likely won't allow connections to/from YYZ (or other Canadian cities) be on UA or AC and a number of passengers may dislike international to international connections @ ORD.
It's expected that CM YYZ flights will bear AC code-share.

Quoting AA767LOVER (Thread starter): t's been long rumored and finally announced, but no action. When will COPA join Star? Any anticipated date? It's frustrating when they announce the hoopla but do nothing about it.

I am not sure what you mean by "no action" or "do nothing about it"? Their membership was only announced 10 months ago. It typically takes 12 - 18 months to complete accession. The vast bulk of that work is behind the scenes, they don't generally make further announcements until quite close to the date that formalities have been completed.

Even the initial press release

http://www.staralliance.com/en/press/cmavta-prp/

said : The integration teams from Star Alliance, Avianca-TACA, Copa Airlines and the respective mentor carriers, Lufthansa and Continental, will now begin their work in order to achieve integration of both airline groups by *mid 2012.

I think you are being a bit unrealistic when we are still 8-9 months out from the originally targeted accession to expect to know an anticipated date for joining.


* I have heard rumours that both groups may actually join earlier in 2012 than originally anticipated, but as they are only rumours at this stage I would not expect too much in the way of confirmation.

Quoting AA767LOVER (Thread starter): Tickle my foot, but you better scratch my itchy foot!

I think that they have to wait until UA/CO finalize the merger since they are a player in there (MileagePlus and code share wise) and after that they might start the move towards *A

Quoting YXXMIKE (Reply 5): Quoting 2travel2know2 (Reply 4): CM had been studying YYZ for quite sometime, giving hints they wanted to fly to Canada, but the old Panama-Canada bilateral plus YYZ curfew hours didn't favour CM starting YYZ sooner. CM already uses CO/UA systems and frequent flyer programme, with that in consideration, CM entrance should be less traumatic than AV/TA and probably might happen before them. Would they have an aircraft with the legs for this route? I wonder as well if they could do a YYZ - GDL - PTY as an option? Or would it just make more sense to focus on ORD and use CO/UA to connect traffic from Canada through there?

Not quite sure what you're referring to. CM has been operating YYZ-PTY nonstop (currently 4 x week) using the 73G since mid-June.

The interesting part is that both TA and CM have an endless cat and dog fight for markets... but they still want to go to the same alliance. They just follow "daddy" even if it could ruin them. (mostly CM)

Even more interesting... how CM will affect their relationship with most efficient partner in PTY... which is Skyteam's KLM.

Quoting indiansbucs (Reply 10): The interesting part is that both TA and CM have an endless cat and dog fight for markets... but they still want to go to the same alliance. They just follow "daddy" even if it could ruin them. (mostly CM)

Daddy or no Daddy, Everybody in Panama can bet that If CM owners notice that being in Star Alliance has a negative effect on their finances, CM will surely drop Star Alliance like a hot potato ASAP.

Quoting indiansbucs (Reply 10): Even more interesting... how CM will affect their relationship with most efficient partner in PTY... which is Skyteam's KLM.

There are examples around of inter alliance code-sharing, so if the flight is good for KL and for CM there's no point in stopping that cooperation.

Quoting 2travel2know2 (Reply 11): There are examples around of inter alliance code-sharing, so if the flight is good for KL and for CM there's no point in stopping that cooperation.

I second that.
Airlines usually sustain code-shares and interline agreements disregarding in the alliance they are enrolled in.

Regards.