Central American Aviation Thread - 2022

janders · Sat Jan 01, 2022 2:20 am

Welcome to the Central America Aviation thread - 2022 edition. Please continue to post your news and discussions below.

Link to the 2021 edition:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1456097

LightChop2Chop · Sat Jan 01, 2022 9:22 pm

Anyone have any idea how the "AeroMar" Guatemala experiment is doing?

juanchito · Mon Jan 03, 2022 2:18 pm

LightChop2Chop wrote:
Anyone have any idea how the "AeroMar" Guatemala experiment is doing?

Well, I would not call it experiment. They have great fares and Tag Airlines had to bring down fares.
I don't have any statistics, maybe later this month when DGAC releases some data.

Happy New Year to everybody in this thread.

SJOtoLIR · Mon Jan 03, 2022 5:28 pm

Happy new year 2022 to all the posters and readers of this board !

Recapitulation of the 2021 Central american civil aviation.
Please, let me know if something has been missing.
I didn't check if all the routes actually started as planned.

January 08: UA LAX-LIR 3x weekly, 739 NEW
January 09: UA LAX-BZE 1x weekly, 738 NEW + AA LAX-BZE 1x weekly, 321 NEW
February 04: UA LAX-SAP 3x, 738 NEW
March: AV SAL-BZE END + AV GUA-FRS END
April 13: F9 SAL-MIA 2x 320 NEW + F9 GUA-MIA 2x 320 NEW
April 15: B6 GUA-JFK 7x 320 NEW
July 01: AV SAL-ONT 3x weekly 319-320 NEW
July 01: [AV SAP-MIA 3x weekly + AV GUA-JFK + AV GUA-IAD] NEW
July 01: AV SJO-MIA 7x, 320 NEW
July 01: F9 MIA-SJO 2x 320 NEW + F9 MCO-SJO 2x 320 NEW
July 08: NK MSY-SAP 3x NEW
July 13: E9 MAD-SJO 2x 359 NEW
August 13: TAG GUA-TAP 5x EMB 100 - SF3: NEW
August 10: TAG GUA-CUN 4x NEW
September 15: N3 SAL-MEX NEW
October 06: NK MIA-GUA 4x 320 NEW
October 07: NK MIA-SAL 3x 320 NEW
October 15: N3 SAL-CUN NEW
October 31: N3 SAL-SAP NEW
November 02: AA AUS-LIR 3x NEW + AA ORD-SJO 3x NEW + AA ORD-LIR 1x NEW
November 04: F9 SAL-MCO 2x NEW
November 11: F9 MCO-LIR 2x NEW
November 13: WN DEN-LIR 1x NEW
November 17: [NK FLL-XPL 7x + NK XPL-MIA 4x + NK IAH-XPL 7x] NEW
November 17: NK MIA-SAP 7x 32N NEW + NK MIA-SJO 4x 32N NEW
November 19: AS LAX-BZE 4x 738 NEW + AS SEA-BZE 2x 738 NEW
November 28. WK ZRH-SJO-LIR-ZRH. 1x NEW
December 01: [VW GUA-FRS 10x + VW GUA-SAP 4x + VW FRS-CUN 3x] NEW
December 02: AV SJO-CUN 3x NEW
December 02: CM PTY-AXM 3x NEW
December 11: F9 DEN-BZE 1x NEW + F9 BZE-MCO 2x NEW
December 12: CM PTY-ATL 4x 738 NEW
December 16: TS YUL-SAL NEW Seasonal
December: B6 JFK-SAP 3x NEW
December 18: UA DEN-RTB 1x NEW + UA ORD-GUA 1x NEW
December 18: DL MSP-BZE NEW Seasonal
December 18: [DL LAX-PTY 1x 757 + DL MCO-PTY 1x 739] NEW
December 20: DL JFK-PTY. 3x 738 NEW

What did we see in 2021 ?
The supply and demand of regional flights is fortunately more than the 50% of the former level before March 2020.
We hopefully expect the total restauration soon of all the airlines and destinations, prior to the Covid-19 era.
The US - Central America market experienced the launch of new routes and airlines as well as the increase of some existing frequencies, especially in the second-half of the year.
The main airlines based regionally started new stations: Armenia, Atlanta and Oakland. Most of their former destinations resumed their services in 2021.
We actually have a new international airport like Palmerola as the imminent substitution of TGU.
Volaris El Salvador is the new airline based in Central America and following the structure of Volaris Costa Rica.

juanchito · Tue Jan 04, 2022 3:25 am

Avianca increase GUA-JFK and GUA-IAD to daily starting January

This are Avianca flights in Guatemala
GUA-LAX daily
GUA-MIA daily
GUA-JFK daily
GUA-IAD daily
GUA-SAL two daily
GUA-SJO daily
GUA-BOG 3 weekly
GUA-XPL 4 weekly

Regards

2travel2know2 · Tue Jan 04, 2022 1:10 pm

juanchito wrote:
Avianca increase GUA-JFK and GUA-IAD to daily starting January

This are Avianca flights in Guatemala
GUA-LAX daily
GUA-MIA daily
GUA-JFK daily
GUA-IAD daily
GUA-SAL two daily
GUA-SJO daily
GUA-BOG 3 weekly
GUA-XPL 4 weekly

No GUA-SFO, GUA-IAH, GUA-MCO yet?

SJOtoLIR · Tue Jan 04, 2022 1:11 pm

So Avianca hasn't demonstrated interest into the GUA-MEX again, despite the demise of Interjet.
This route is served by AM MEX-GUA and Q6 MEX-GUA.

juanchito · Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:09 pm

2travel2know2 wrote:
juanchito wrote:
Avianca increase GUA-JFK and GUA-IAD to daily starting January

This are Avianca flights in Guatemala
GUA-LAX daily
GUA-MIA daily
GUA-JFK daily
GUA-IAD daily
GUA-SAL two daily
GUA-SJO daily
GUA-BOG 3 weekly
GUA-XPL 4 weekly
No GUA-SFO, GUA-IAH, GUA-MCO yet?

Avianca never operated SFO and IAH from GUA, only MCO. But don't see the light at the end of the tunnel for that route to re-start.

Regards.

juanchito · Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:13 pm

SJOtoLIR wrote:
So Avianca hasn't demonstrated interest into the GUA-MEX again, despite the demise of Interjet.
This route is served by AM MEX-GUA and Q6 MEX-GUA.

Aeromexico is not increasing capacity, staying with 3 daily flights with E190. Volaris will increment to 2 daily to Mexico City and 2 daily to Cancun.

Regards.

SJOtoLIR · Tue Jan 04, 2022 3:05 pm

If I recall correctly, the former TACA did operate the GUA-ORD sector, in the past.
It was basically served as TA SAL-ORD.
AV is not operating [Chicago - Central America] at this time.
Back to the ORD-GUA segment, the market really exists there, regarding AA ORD-GUA and UA ORD-GUA.

avi8 · Tue Jan 04, 2022 3:42 pm

SJOtoLIR wrote:
So Avianca hasn't demonstrated interest into the GUA-MEX again, despite the demise of Interjet.
This route is served by AM MEX-GUA and Q6 MEX-GUA.

I would assume that rotating the aircraft without a base in GUA might be difficult. All current flights originate or end in SAL. I guess we shall see.

2travel2know2 · Tue Jan 04, 2022 3:53 pm

juanchito wrote:
2travel2know2 wrote:
juanchito wrote:
Avianca increase GUA-JFK and GUA-IAD to daily starting January

This are Avianca flights in Guatemala
GUA-LAX daily
GUA-MIA daily
GUA-JFK daily
GUA-IAD daily
GUA-SAL two daily
GUA-SJO daily
GUA-BOG 3 weekly
GUA-XPL 4 weekly
No GUA-SFO, GUA-IAH, GUA-MCO yet?

Avianca never operated SFO and IAH from GUA, only MCO. But don't see the light at the end of the tunnel for that route to re-start.

Regards.

Is there a market for AV GUA-SFO?
DIdn't UA flew that route once?
Don't know how popular is destination Orlando for Guatemalans year-around, but IMHO, most likely AV GUA-MCO could work at least thrice weekly.

avi8 · Tue Jan 04, 2022 6:15 pm

juanchito wrote:
SJOtoLIR wrote:
So Avianca hasn't demonstrated interest into the GUA-MEX again, despite the demise of Interjet.
This route is served by AM MEX-GUA and Q6 MEX-GUA.

Aeromexico is not increasing capacity, staying with 3 daily flights with E190. Volaris will increment to 2 daily to Mexico City and 2 daily to Cancun.

Regards.

I am only seeing CUN twice a day but not MEX if I try a dummy booking on Expedia.

juanchito · Tue Jan 04, 2022 6:31 pm

2travel2know2 wrote:
juanchito wrote:
2travel2know2 wrote:
No GUA-SFO, GUA-IAH, GUA-MCO yet?

Avianca never operated SFO and IAH from GUA, only MCO. But don't see the light at the end of the tunnel for that route to re-start.

Regards.
Is there a market for AV GUA-SFO?
DIdn't UA flew that route once?
Don't know how popular is destination Orlando for Guatemalans year-around, but IMHO, most likely AV GUA-MCO could work at least thrice weekly.

No airline has serve direct flight GUA-SFO. I think UA or AA could fly this route once or twice a week in the near future.

Orlando is a great destination for Guatemalans it is serve know by NK 5 weekly and daily on high season.

Juanchito

juanchito · Tue Jan 04, 2022 6:37 pm

avi8 wrote:
juanchito wrote:
SJOtoLIR wrote:
So Avianca hasn't demonstrated interest into the GUA-MEX again, despite the demise of Interjet.
This route is served by AM MEX-GUA and Q6 MEX-GUA.

Aeromexico is not increasing capacity, staying with 3 daily flights with E190. Volaris will increment to 2 daily to Mexico City and 2 daily to Cancun.

Regards.

I am only seeing CUN twice a day but not MEX if I try a dummy booking on Expedia.

https://www.aviacionline.com/2021/12/vo ... os-unidos/

SJOtoLIR · Tue Jan 04, 2022 6:38 pm

2travel2know2 wrote:
DIdn't UA flew that route once?

Related to the [San Francisco - Central America] market on United Airlines, I have solely seen the Saturday-only UA SFO-LIR from 2021.
San Salvador has a decent coverage, based on AV SAL-SFO 14x weekly by now.
CM SFO-PTY returned the last year.

Regards.

avi8 · Tue Jan 04, 2022 6:53 pm

juanchito wrote:
avi8 wrote:
juanchito wrote:

Aeromexico is not increasing capacity, staying with 3 daily flights with E190. Volaris will increment to 2 daily to Mexico City and 2 daily to Cancun.

Regards.

I am only seeing CUN twice a day but not MEX if I try a dummy booking on Expedia.

https://www.aviacionline.com/2021/12/vo ... os-unidos/

It seems as though the article made a mistake. It states that MEX goes double daily when in fact CUN goes double daily.

SJOtoLIR · Tue Jan 04, 2022 7:06 pm

avi8 wrote:
when in fact CUN goes double daily.

I can almost remember 20 years ago, when the only chance was GUA-FRS-CUN 7x weekly on TACA REGIONAL with ATR-42.
It's nice how the market supports GUA-CUN 14x weekly, in 2022.

Regards.

juanchito · Tue Jan 04, 2022 8:14 pm

SJOtoLIR wrote:
avi8 wrote:
when in fact CUN goes double daily.

I can almost remember 20 years ago, when the only chance was GUA-FRS-CUN 7x weekly on TACA REGIONAL with ATR-42.
It's nice how the market supports GUA-CUN 14x weekly, in 2022.

Regards.

Add to that when Tikal Jets flew to CUN via FRS

Now we have the following schedule routes to CUN
Daily with Tag Airlines on E145
Daily with Volaris with A320
Daily with Tag Airlines on Saab340 via FRS
3 weekly with Aeromar on a ATR72 via FRS

Regards.

SJOtoLIR · Tue Jan 04, 2022 9:39 pm

juanchito wrote:
Tikal Jets flew to CUN via FRS

I didn't know that.
Probably with BAC 1-11 and DC-9 equipments.

I barely remember Aerovias from the 80s.
Do you happen to know if Aerovias flew GUA-FRS-CUN ?

Regards.

juanchito · Wed Jan 05, 2022 12:24 am

SJOtoLIR wrote:
juanchito wrote:
Tikal Jets flew to CUN via FRS

I didn't know that.
Probably with BAC 1-11 and DC-9 equipments.

I barely remember Aerovias from the 80s.
Do you happen to know if Aerovias flew GUA-FRS-CUN ?

Regards.

Don't remember if Aerovias flew to CUN neither Aeroquetzal.

And Tikal Jets flew to MEX, CUN, FRS and HAV with DC9

Regards.

SJOtoLIR · Wed Jan 05, 2022 12:52 am

One more hypothesis that sustains why Copa Airlines would never utilize long-haul equipments.
They usually launch two 738s simultaneously, in their high density routes.
Both planes may cater up to 300 passengers, in average.

Santiago - Panama City
CM 118.....SCL 05.48....10.30 PTY...738
CM 112.....SCL 05.52....10.34 PTY...738

Sao Paulo - Panama City
CM 801.....GRU 01.36...06.24 PTY....738
CM 758.....GRU 01.55...06.38 PTY....738

Punta Cana - Panama City
CM 178.....PUJ 12.21....14.08 PTY....738
CM 109.....PUJ 12.29.....14.16 PTY...738

Cancun - Panama City
CM 292.....CUN 11.30....14.12 PTY.....738
CM 317.....CUN 11.36....14.18 PTY.....738

SJOtoLIR · Mon Jan 10, 2022 6:44 pm

Spirit recently announced the opening of NK MIA-SJO, on a weekly basis.
The airline is boosting the Central American service out of Miami: NK MIA-GUA 1x weekly, NK MIA-SAP 3x weekly and NK MIA-XPL 4x weekly.
NK keep their [Ft. Lauderdale - Central America] flights, speaking about South Florida.

avi8 · Mon Jan 10, 2022 6:50 pm

SJOtoLIR wrote:
Spirit recently announced the opening of NK MIA-SJO, on a weekly basis.
The airline is boosting the Central American service out of Miami: NK MIA-GUA 1x weekly, NK MIA-SAP 3x weekly and NK MIA-XPL 4x weekly.
NK keep their [Ft. Lauderdale - Central America] flights, speaking about South Florida.

MIA-GUA/SAL/SAP have been operating sin October 2021. If I'm not mistaken, GUA was 4x weekly, SAL 3x weekly and SAP 4x weekly.

SJOtoLIR · Mon Jan 10, 2022 8:36 pm

avi8 wrote:
MIA-GUA/SAL/SAP have been operating sin October 2021. If I'm not mistaken, GUA was 4x weekly, SAL 3x weekly and SAP 4x weekly.

Yes, but NK MIA-SAL doesn't report operations this week, based on some reliable sources monitoring the current traffic world-wide.
San Pedro Sula appears as the Central American station leading the amount of US stations on Spirit: Houston, New Orleans, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami.

Regards.

Chele737 · Thu Jan 13, 2022 4:11 pm

Avianca announces 7 new routes and reactivation of 2 more starting in March. 3 of them to/from SJO. The new routes will be: Medellín-San José and Cartagena-San José on March 27; San José-Quito on March 28: Complete list of the routes here: https://aviacionaldia.com/en/2022/01/av ... outes.html

avi8 · Thu Jan 13, 2022 4:29 pm

Avianca making a comeback at SJO. The timings aren’t great for connections, which means they are betting on local demand.

Great news for SJO indeed.

Chele737 · Thu Jan 13, 2022 5:12 pm

avi8 wrote:
Avianca making a comeback at SJO. The timings aren’t great for connections, which means they are betting on local demand.

Great news for SJO indeed.

As per my understanding reading the previous press releases where they said will open 50 new routes in the next 3 years I believe, they are focusing in point-to-point routes rather than grow BOG and SAL hubs.

SJOtoLIR · Thu Jan 13, 2022 8:03 pm

Most of their routes resumed in 2021 from SJO were dropped, since the TA-AV merger in 2012: SJO-LAX, SJO-JFK, SJO-MIA and SJO-MEX.
However, in the last 10 years other competitors rapidly entered to the same market.
Let's analize the situation for Los Angeles - San Jose.

LAX-SJO in 2012 as non-stop services.
TA SJO-LAX.

LAX-SJO in 2022.
AS LAX-LIR-SJO
DL LAX-SJO
B6 LAX-SJO. Not sure if it's actually in service.
UA LAX-SJO
AV LAX-SJO

avi8 · Thu Jan 13, 2022 9:57 pm

SJOtoLIR wrote:
Most of their routes resumed in 2021 from SJO were dropped, since the TA-AV merger in 2012: SJO-LAX, SJO-JFK, SJO-MIA and SJO-MEX.
However, in the last 10 years other competitors rapidly entered to the same market.
Let's analize the situation for Los Angeles - San Jose.

LAX-SJO in 2012 as non-stop services.
TA SJO-LAX.

LAX-SJO in 2022.
AS LAX-LIR-SJO
DL LAX-SJO
B6 LAX-SJO. Not sure if it's actually in service.
UA LAX-SJO
AV LAX-SJO

Similar story with GUA and New York.

1x weekly UA flight to EWR. Then AV added the route daily in 2018 for about 6 months.

Now, in 2022:

B6 goes 2x daily in May to JFK
UA daily service to EWR
AV daily service to JFK.

SJOtoLIR · Fri Jan 14, 2022 2:11 am

AV SAL-CTG failed in 2019 and prior to the Covid-19 era.
My concern is for the upcoming AV SJO-CTG 4x weekly, based purely on the point to point traffic.
The demand of passengers doesn't seem to be enough, in order to operate it sustainably.
I didn't find too much differences among SAL-CTG and SJO-CTG.

.

Chele737 wrote:
they are focusing in point-to-point routes rather than grow BOG and SAL hubs.

It's a good point.
They had a different vision before, when the equations named [BOG - LIM] and [SAL-SJO] didn't fit into their future plans. Thus, the status of hub for both LIM and SJO was deleted and they rather opted for BOG and SAL.
They also had jet-line subsidiaries in Brazil, Peru and Argentina.

Regards.

avi8 · Fri Jan 14, 2022 3:04 am

I wonder if SAL will ever get to 3 banks again. With the p2p flying from GUA and SJO, which were the main traffic pullers, it might not be necessary.

SAL will always be a hub but not the way it was before.

juanchito · Fri Jan 14, 2022 3:52 am

avi8 wrote:
I wonder if SAL will ever get to 3 banks again. With the p2p flying from GUA and SJO, which were the main traffic pullers, it might not be necessary.

SAL will always be a hub but not the way it was before.

SAL will continue to play a role for AV, they will server niche routes that needs the feed from Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica and that will not be server directly from the rest of Central America.

Regards

Juanchito

RCS763AV · Fri Jan 14, 2022 1:08 pm

I'm glad AV is innovating and turning SJO into the significant O/D station it should be. Their new cost structure allows them to launch all of these routes which had been unserved.

SJOtoLIR wrote:
AV SAL-CTG failed in 2019 and prior to the Covid-19 era.
My concern is for the upcoming AV SJO-CTG 4x weekly, based purely on the point to point traffic.
The demand of passengers doesn't seem to be enough, in order to operate it sustainably.
I didn't find too much differences among SAL-CTG and SJO-CTG.

.
Chele737 wrote:
they are focusing in point-to-point routes rather than grow BOG and SAL hubs.

It's a good point.
They had a different vision before, when the equations named [BOG - LIM] and [SAL-SJO] didn't fit into their future plans. Thus, the status of hub for both LIM and SJO was deleted and they rather opted for BOG and SAL.
They also had jet-line subsidiaries in Brazil, Peru and Argentina.

Regards.

The O/D between SAL and Colombia is almost inexistent. Even BOG-SAL struggles to be more than 2x daily. There is no comparison with the traffic between Costa Rica and Colombia. Also, SJO and CTG have the potential to form a touristic circuit which may generate significant traffic. I see potential in that route.

Although they now have a focus on point-to point routes, AV is still growing BOG and SAL with many frequency and destination increases.

Also, the Brazilian and Argentinian airlines which were owned by Efromovich were not subsidiaries of Avianca Holdings and only operated under a license agreement to use the Avianca brand.

SJOtoLIR · Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:29 pm

RCS763AV wrote:
SJO and CTG have the potential to form a touristic circuit which may generate significant traffic. I see potential in that route.

We'll pay attention in the performance of the upcoming AV SJO-CTG 4x weekly and AV SJO-MDE 3x weekly from March 27.
The SJO-CUN route as non-stop was zero, five years ago. Volaris Costa Rica Q6 SJO-CUN started the route and then, AV SJO-CUN also entered to the same market.
I recognize the leisure traffic originated at SJO really exists, based on this picture. Same analyzing the SJO-MCO market nowadays.
AV [SJO-PTY-MDE] was operated for a while, some years backward.

Regards.

avi8 · Fri Jan 14, 2022 8:44 pm

Is SJO-PTY back on AV?

2travel2know2 · Fri Jan 14, 2022 9:15 pm

juanchito wrote:
avi8 wrote:
I wonder if SAL will ever get to 3 banks again. With the p2p flying from GUA and SJO, which were the main traffic pullers, it might not be necessary.

SAL will always be a hub but not the way it was before.

SAL will continue to play a role for AV, they will server niche routes that needs the feed from Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica and that will not be server directly from the rest of Central America.

And more likely that's why SAL could also support year-around SAL-BOG, SAL-LIM and perhaps even SAL-CCS and SAL-GYE; to feed its hub bank.
Hope AV soon adds PHX, LAS, SAN, SEA or YVR, DEN, SAT or AUS, MSY, SEA, MCO (?), FLL, ATL, HAV (?) to SAL hub operation.

SJOtoLIR · Fri Jan 14, 2022 9:57 pm

Bear in mind SAL-CTG, SAL-CLO and SAL-BOS were dropped in 2019, before the Covid-19 era.
That wasn't a smart experiment.

juanchito · Mon Jan 17, 2022 1:14 pm

SJOtoLIR wrote:
Bear in mind SAL-CTG, SAL-CLO and SAL-BOS were dropped in 2019, before the Covid-19 era.
That wasn't a smart experiment.

If I remember correctly that was because Avianca restructuration

Juanchito

SJOtoLIR · Mon Jan 17, 2022 2:20 pm

SAL-HAV, SAL-EWR and SAL-CUN were also operated in the past.
For the case of San Salvador, SAL-SFO, SAL-JFK, SAL-LAX and SAL-IAD have a robust presence on AV.
AV SAL-OAK seems to be also a route oriented to the point to point traffic as back-up for the bulky SAL-LAX segment.
They're now deploying the 320 over the 319 on AV SAL-OAK.

maps4ltd · Thu Jan 20, 2022 2:53 am

I just noticed that Copa has brought back some 737-700s from the desert. Was taken aback when I saw one flying SJO-GUA on FR24. Does anyone know why they came back and how long they will stay with the airline?

SJOtoLIR · Thu Jan 20, 2022 1:58 pm

maps4ltd wrote:
Does anyone know why they came back and how long they will stay with the airline?

This is only my interpretation:

1. Their 100-seater Embraer 190 are no longer in service, since 2020. CM currently operates up to five 73G for their low-density routes. The airline may deploy these 73Gs until the next 100-seater airplane would be materialized, in the mid-term. However, I ignore if this idea is within their expansion plans.

2. That would happen until all the 737 MAX-9 frames would be delivered.

3. Once the demand of passengers returnes to the level before March 2020.

Even Wingo only operates 738s at this time.

Regards.

2travel2know2 · Thu Jan 20, 2022 2:38 pm

maps4ltd wrote:
I just noticed that Copa has brought back some 737-700s from the desert. Was taken aback when I saw one flying SJO-GUA on FR24. Does anyone know why they came back and how long they will stay with the airline?

The B737-700 was the aircraft with the closest capacity to their E190.
With the E190 gone, some of CM's thinest routes still could be flow with B737-700 and support the amount of seats added.
Also, range-wise, the B737-700 could fly PTY-MVD/EZE/SFO-PTY with less restrictions than their B737-800 (not that CM would consider doing that, but it'd come handy if needed).
My guess is that CM will still bring a couple of more B737-700 from retirement, if it's looking to re-configure any so to make it look like a frame CM could fly to deep South America, that's another thing.

avi8 · Thu Jan 20, 2022 2:40 pm

I wonder if CM would ever consider a smaller, next generation plane.

GUA-SJO used to operate twice daily on board E190. GUA-MGA used to operate in the past with that aircraft as well.

I think SJO also had E190 flights to SAP/MGA.

SJOtoLIR · Thu Jan 20, 2022 2:53 pm

The hypothesis posted above for CM makes sense.
Recent routes operated on HP-1530CMP, Boeing 73G: PTY-SJO, PTY-DAV and PTY-SAP.
These segments were flown on the E90-jets before.

SJOtoLIR · Thu Jan 20, 2022 3:15 pm

avi8 wrote:
I think SJO also had E190 flights to SAP/MGA.

Yes, I remember CM PTY-SJO-SAP with E90 and CM SJO-PTY with 73G.
I even saw the E90 on CM PTY-MAO, sometimes.
Regards.

copa330200 · Thu Jan 20, 2022 3:15 pm

CM also converted a 738 to cargo and this week seems to be doing some testing fly as you can see on the following link.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/airc ... p#2a85f84a

I understand this plane was converted in asia and received in Panama early in January, this is the first fly since returning from convertion.

Now, this is an interesting one as CM is trying to develop their cargo operation ... let´s see how it goes !!!

2travel2know2 · Thu Jan 20, 2022 3:37 pm

copa330200 wrote:
CM also converted a 738 to cargo and this week seems to be doing some testing fly as you can see on the following link.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/airc ... p#2a85f84a

I understand this plane was converted in asia and received in Panama early in January, this is the first fly since returning from convertion.

Now, this is an interesting one as CM is trying to develop their cargo operation ... let´s see how it goes !!!

CM had B737-200F (originally a combi) but was retired decades ago.
That was its real "Copa Cargo" division and was flown even to MIA, then until now, keep Copa Cargo and Copa Courier but outsourced to other operators.
One of the things CM most likely learned from the pandemic was how fast the demand for air-freight is growing.
Good thing to see CM having its own cargo B737 again.
Regardless FAA and European new regulations on this subject, Should CM study How feasible is the use of reconfigured B737-700/800 aircraft to combi for its hub? My answer is yes.

Kilgen · Thu Jan 20, 2022 3:46 pm

maps4ltd wrote:
I just noticed that Copa has brought back some 737-700s from the desert. Was taken aback when I saw one flying SJO-GUA on FR24. Does anyone know why they came back and how long they will stay with the airline?

CM decided to keep 6 of the B737-700. In their report for the 2021Q2 https://copa.gcs-web.com/static-files/b ... eb13ebe518 they stated that they will keep them for some time. As commented before, it is for destinations that don't have enough demand for a B737-800. They will stay a couple of years.

copa330200 wrote:
CM also converted a 738 to cargo and this week seems to be doing some testing fly as you can see on the following link.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/airc ... p#2a85f84a

I understand this plane was converted in asia and received in Panama early in January, this is the first fly since returning from convertion.

Now, this is an interesting one as CM is trying to develop their cargo operation ... let´s see how it goes !!!

CM is converting 2 of them. The first one arrived a couple of weeks ago.
Here is a picture of it: https://www.skyscrapercity.com/cdn-cgi/ ... g.2656446/

2travel2know2 · Thu Jan 20, 2022 3:52 pm

Kilgen wrote:
Here is a picture of it: https://www.skyscrapercity.com/cdn-cgi/ ... g.2656446/

That's what I called going the extra mile in the pursuit of simplicity (bareness)..
Could we all agree that eventually Copa Airlines will be written in the frame?

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