Central American Aviation Thread - 2020

LightChop2Chop · Sat Mar 21, 2020 3:28 am

BZE is shutting on March 23rd too for 30 days

2travel2know2 · Sun Mar 22, 2020 7:14 pm

CM to operate 3 Reparation flights to Argentina tomorrow.
300 passengers will be transported. Couldn't get information as of which Argentine airports they'll be flown.
https://twitter.com/tocumenaero/status/1241802179884834817?s=20From PTY Twitter account (in Spanish).

2travel2know2 · Mon Mar 23, 2020 8:26 pm

This is how CM fleet looks when parked at PTY.

Photo from TVN Noticias Facebook account.
Not shown, aircraft parked in the cargo (old) PTY terminal and CM hangars..

copa330200 · Tue Mar 24, 2020 2:12 pm

Yesterday CM completed the grounding of their fleet as per following article;

https://www.prensa.com/economia/aterriz ... argentina/

Hopefully we can see all of these birds back to work in 30 days !!!

2travel2know2 · Tue Mar 24, 2020 7:20 pm

LH repatriation flight today at PTY
https://www.prensa.com/economia/operan-vuelo-humanitario-desde-alemania-para-repatriar-31-panamenos-y-llevar-a-cerca-de-700-turistas-a-europa/
From http://www.prensa.com (in Spanish).
LH B747 flew 30+ Panamanians stranded in Europe in and will fly back to FRA full with European waiting to leave Panama.

2travel2know2 · Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:09 pm

Odd KL metal in PTY.
B777 KLM Asia flew here to repatriate Europeans.
https://twitter.com/tocumenaero/status/1243187369399984130?s=20 From Tocumen PTY Twitter account, in Spanish

copa330200 · Thu Mar 26, 2020 9:14 pm

2travel2know2 wrote:
Odd KL metal in PTY.
B777 KLM Asia flew here to repatriate Europeans.
https://twitter.com/tocumenaero/status/1243187369399984130?s=20 From Tocumen PTY Twitter account, in Spanish

it seams as there are more of them: information from La Prensa in the following link
https://www.prensa.com/economia/vuelos- ... en-panama/

SJOtoLIR · Fri Mar 27, 2020 12:25 am

On march 26th, El Al operated a rescue flight carrying 113 israeli travelers stranded in Costa Rica.
Type: Boeing 787-9.
Registration: 4X-EDM.
Route: SJO-TLV.

juanchito · Fri Mar 27, 2020 12:53 am

Wamos 747-400 landed today in La Aurora to pickup stranded European citizens and it drop 41 citizens from Guatemala.
Tomorrow will depart to SAL then SPS then MAD.

Could take this picture today

Regards.

Juanchito

juanchito · Sat Mar 28, 2020 1:38 pm

Guatemala Rescue flights have been:

Wamos 747-400
1 flight, here are more pictures

Eastern 767-300 and 767-200
5 flights have been done with 2 more schedule

American Airlines 737-800
At least 12 flights have been done

Chronos Aviation 737-200
2 flights where done.

Air Transat A321

TAG Airlines have been doing some rescue flights to Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic with E145 and Saab S340

Delta Airlines will operate a Boeing 777 to Guatemala City tomorrow morning.
Condor will also operate some rescue flights with 767

LTU932 · Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:35 pm

2travel2know2 wrote:
Odd KL metal in PTY.
B777 KLM Asia flew here to repatriate Europeans.
https://twitter.com/tocumenaero/status/1243187369399984130?s=20 From Tocumen PTY Twitter account, in Spanish

Not so odd. Back when I returned to SJO via PTY from Europe in December 2016, my KL aircraft was PH-BQH, a 77E from KLM Asia. Those KLM Asia aircraft are not exclusive to specific routes, they can be used everywhere in KL's longhaul network (depending on needs of course). There's a picture of that aircraft at PTY in the database albeit from 2014.

juanchito · Tue Mar 31, 2020 2:56 am

For the first time in Guatemala a Airbus A350-900 from Evelop

Here are some pictures we took today

This is my picture

The other 3 from collegues

Regards

2travel2know2 · Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:07 pm

NK PTY-FLL humanitarian repatriation flight
U.S. Embassy in Panama announced NK will fly PTY-FLL April 11.
https://www.facebook.com/panamaestamosunidos/posts/10158041718424648 From U.S, Embassy Facebook page

SJOtoLIR · Tue Apr 07, 2020 12:26 am

SJOtoLIR wrote:
Costa Rica: Both SJO and LIR are closed to foreigners. Period: March 18th till April 12th..

Update: Costa Rica is extending the suspension to April 30th.

LTU932 · Fri Apr 10, 2020 4:00 am

SJOtoLIR wrote:
SJOtoLIR wrote:
Costa Rica: Both SJO and LIR are closed to foreigners. Period: March 18th till April 12th..

Update: Costa Rica is extending the suspension to April 30th.

That's also for all land borders. And the reason may also have to do with Nicaragua doing absolutely nothing in regards to COVID-19.

2travel2know2 · Sun Apr 12, 2020 6:09 pm

From CM's CEO Pedro Heilbron interview today
https://twitter.com/tvnnoticias/status/1249366271809945602?s=20 From TVN Twitter, in Spanish.
Roughly translated:
"The country has great responsibilities in the social, human and economic aspects, we cannot expect a life-buoy like those of other countries, we know that we have to do it on our own"
The airline and its major stock-holder has been under heavy attack by many who are against any government bail or financial assistance to the airline in these times.

SJOtoLIR · Sun Apr 12, 2020 8:33 pm

Major airlines worldwide had no choice but to cancel a huge number of flights due to government restrictions, in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19.
They obviously have no revenue coming in. They hold a significant ongoing financial commitments such as fuel suppliers and leasing agents. On the other hand, their fleet is actually grounded.
From what I've read in other sources out of the Central American landscape, airlines encourage passengers to accept the credit ** for those traveling during the lockdown around the world, given the lack of revenues in order to proceed with any refund.

** The credit means the possibility to schedule their intended traveling plans again without any penalties, for one year onward or so.

LTU932 · Tue Apr 14, 2020 10:34 am

2travel2know2 wrote:
The airline and its major stock-holder has been under heavy attack by many who are against any government bail or financial assistance to the airline in these times.

Let's face it: While small and middle businesses may not be as lucky to receive money from the government, the bigger corporations will get a bailout. CM is highly important to Panama, and I think that, given the circumstances, they will get a bailout. In Europe, even the EU will have to think about its own bailout rules because, as some of y'all may know, the EU is very strict with that. Or else, Italy would've never gotten in such trouble with all the illegal bailouts they gave to AZ.

2travel2know2 · Mon Apr 20, 2020 6:35 pm

Panama Civil Aviation Authority to extend International and domestic commercial passenger flights ban for 30 days more.
https://twitter.com/tocumenaero/status/1252299571671244804?s=20 From Tocumen Airport twitter account (in Spanish).
Flights will be further suspended from 2359h April 22nd.
Humanitarian non-scheduled and cargo flights are exempt from the suspension.

SJOtoLIR · Tue Apr 21, 2020 2:35 am

All ground and air borders are now closed in Costa Rica till May 15th, meaning 15 more days than the intended date.
Speaking strictly about aviation-wise through SJO, some isolated repatriation flights from Houston, Mexico City, San Salvador and others have landed in the past week.
Depending on the progress of the spread of the virus, civil authorities are extending the flight bans.
Few words to say for the time being.

LTU932 · Fri Apr 24, 2020 10:32 am

SJOtoLIR wrote:
All ground and air borders are now closed in Costa Rica till May 15th, meaning 15 more days than the intended date.
Speaking strictly about aviation-wise through SJO, some isolated repatriation flights from Houston, Mexico City, San Salvador and others have landed in the past week.
Depending on the progress of the spread of the virus, civil authorities are extending the flight bans.
Few words to say for the time being.

I would also say it depends on what Nicaragua will do. As stated before, they're doing nothing. Now people are dying over there from an "atypical" pneumonia. So even when May 15 comes around, I don't see the border fully opening. And if I was the government, even if I'd open the border, I could see a travel ban to and from Nicaragua being issued with freight runs being exempt on land and air. Realistically however, I see the border closure being extended until at least May 31.

SJOtoLIR · Sun Apr 26, 2020 3:52 pm

Three flights from China and routed as PVG-MEX-SJO are bringing medical supplies to Costa Rica donated from Asia.
The 787s belonging from AeroMexico did such services and covered by local health authorities: Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social.
More than likely, this is the first time of any 787 from AM landing at SJO.

Furthermore, the United States Embassy in Costa Rica has coordinated with UA to offer one more repatriation flight from SJO to IAH on April 27th.

Kilgen · Sun Apr 26, 2020 6:21 pm

If CM starts flying in June 1, they have published a list of destinations and weekly frequencies.

They plan to start 50 destinations and the most frequencies are to BOG and SJO with 14 fx per week.

https://www.prensa.com/economia/copa-ai ... eraciones/

2travel2know2 · Sun Apr 26, 2020 6:56 pm

Kilgen wrote:
If CM starts flying in June 1, they have published a list of destinations and weekly frequencies.

They plan to start 50 destinations and the most frequencies are to BOG and SJO with 14 fx per week.

https://www.prensa.com/economia/copa-ai ... eraciones/

I'm surprised not to see (yet) FLL at least 2-3 times per week and PTY-MIA evenings, MIA-PTY mornings also 2-3 per week.
The hub banks and rotations would surely look a lot like the ones CM had 28-26 years ago.

SJOtoLIR · Sun Apr 26, 2020 10:22 pm

Kilgen wrote:
If CM starts flying in June 1, they have published a list of destinations and weekly frequencies.

I think CM as the other mainline airlines worldwide would follow a bunch of safety recomendations stated by health authorities:

1. Face masks for passengers and crew at all times.
2. Keep social distancing especially during embarkation and disembarkation.
3. Constraints on cabin baggage, in order to aviod personal contact when placed on the overhead compartment.
4. Highest standards of safety at all times, on the ground and in the air.
5. Every night stop, aircraft goes under a deep cleaning procedure.
6. Contactless web and mobile check-in to reduce surface and physical contact in check-in and boarding processes.
7. Meals would be produced and packaged hygienically following strict food safety requirements.
8. Thermal screening will take place upon arrival.

Regards.

Kilgen · Mon Apr 27, 2020 7:49 pm

CM says that it may not have enough reserves to last COVID-19 Pandemic.

Panama's Copa Airlines warns it may lack the cash to keep operations afloat
Panama's Copa Airlines said on Monday it may not have enough liquidity to survive the coronavirus crisis despite cutting costs, becoming the second major Latin American airline to suggest that it may cease to exist due to the outbreak.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/panamas- ... 16415.html

SJOtoLIR · Tue Apr 28, 2020 2:21 am

Kilgen wrote:
CM says that it may not have enough reserves to last COVID-19 Pandemic.

Panamanian authorities stated before that the operations at PTY may come back to normal on May 31st, depending on the progress of the disease.
However, it looks like extremely umpredictable for the time being.

Regards.

juanchito · Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:03 pm

La Aurora will algo got the visit from Aeromexico B787-9 and there are 4 more flights planned in may.

This is a picture I took

Regards

Juanchito

juanchito · Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:07 pm

SPS will receive on May 1 a A350 from LATAM, the flight is a rescue flight for British citizens.
Planned route is the following BOG-SAP-LHR

They also receive in the past days a 777 from Privilege Style

Regards

Juanchito

Kilgen · Wed Apr 29, 2020 2:13 pm

CM sells $350 million in bonds convertible to class A shares:

Copa Holdings, S.A. Prices $350,000,000 Convertible Senior Notes Offering
Copa Holdings, S.A. (NYSE: CPA) today announced the pricing of its offering of $350,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2025 (the "notes") in a private offering to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").

The notes will be senior, unsecured obligations of Copa and will accrue interest at a rate of 4.50% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on April 15 and October 15 of each year, beginning on October 15, 2020. The notes will mature on April 15, 2025, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. Copa will settle conversions by paying or delivering, as applicable, cash, shares of its Class A common stock or a combination of cash and shares of its Class A common stock, at Copa's election. The initial conversion rate is 19.3564 shares of Class A common stock per $1,000 principal amount of notes, which represents an initial conversion price of approximately $51.66 per share of Class A common stock.

For more details: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/copa-hol ... 00757.html

juanchito · Thu Apr 30, 2020 9:51 pm

Finally the Guatemala DGAC published stats, just international pax, will add the local traffic in a later post.

1,489,588 - In Pax
1,493,454 - Out pax
2,983,042 - Total

Source
http://www.dgac.gob.gt/index.php/la-aurora/2017-3

SJOtoLIR · Fri May 01, 2020 4:50 am

Some math exercises to relief the sanitary lockdown.

Based on the above figures, the following info describes graphically the participation of each airline at GUA last year.

Avianca: Taca, Lacsa and Avianca mainline.
Copa: Copa Airlines mainline + AeroRepublica.
Others: Volaris, TAG, Isleña.

AV group is leading the market in Guatemala City.

Carriers from the United States caught the 41% of the market. That demonstrates how large is the [USA - Guatemala] segment. Both AV and CM are most likely grabbing a chunk of such sector as well.

The MEX-GUA sector looks like robust.

The European market is too thin, given the 4% of participacion of IB [MAD-GUA-SAL-MAD].

SJOtoLIR · Fri May 01, 2020 4:34 pm

Highest: April 2019.
Lowest: September 2019.

The flow of travelers during the slow season peaked in September is only 30% less than the highest rate as shown.

SJOtoLIR · Sun May 03, 2020 3:40 pm

Based on the Costa Rican Ministry of Health speach on local media yesterday, the forecast for the opening of our borders seem to be focused into a long-term path.
Having said that, the national borders including both SJO and LIR wouldn't be opened again on May 15th as scheduled before.
My concern is how long would the commercial aviation industry support this situation, taking into account their zero-revenues since a long time ago.

Edited on May 03rd, 2020.

LTU932 · Sun May 03, 2020 8:35 pm

SJOtoLIR wrote:
Based on the Costa Rican Ministry of Health speach on local media yesterday, the forecast for the opening of our borders seem to be focused into a long-term path.
Having said that, the national borders including both SJO and LIR wouldn't be opened again on May 15th as scheduled before.
My concern is how long would the commercial aviation industry support this situation, taking into account their zero-revenues since a long time ago.

This same problem extends to ground borders in a way. The biggest issue is how Nicaragua's handling of the virus (or lack thereof). While Panama is doing something, Nicaragua (specifically their regime) just doesn't care. And this would be an important factor for deciding to reopen the borders. Personally, I'd keep the border crossings up north (e.g. Peñas Blancas and Tablillas) closed indefinitely for the time being (except to freight) and put in place a list of countries banned from operating into Costa Rica when LIR and SJO reopen that would include Nicaragua (also temporarily).

SJOtoLIR · Sun May 03, 2020 10:35 pm

juanchito wrote:
La Aurora will algo got the visit from Aeromexico B787-9

She's a beauty and her name is Quetzalcoatl the feathered serpent, in different Mayan languages.
The nick-name is written into their engines.
The following caption from the database shows the full paint-scheme, in a different angle.

Registration: XA-ADL.

Regards.

Kilgen · Thu May 07, 2020 6:28 pm

CM to retire all its B737-700. So it looks like they will only keep the B737-800 and the Max:

Panama's Copa Airlines planning to retire Boeing 737-700 fleet
Panama’s Copa Airlines said on Thursday that it is planning to retire early its fleet of 14 older Boeing 737-700 NG planes, the latest carrier to do away with planes due to the coronavirus crisis.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-heal ... SKBN22J2NG

SJOtoLIR · Thu May 07, 2020 8:02 pm

So Copa Airlines has changed their intended plans consisting in the retirement of the Embraer E90 fleet.

SJOtoLIR · Thu May 07, 2020 8:05 pm

SJOtoLIR wrote:
both SJO and LIR wouldn't be opened again on May 15th as scheduled before.

Update: All the Costa Rican borders will be close till June 15th.

Kilgen · Thu May 07, 2020 8:22 pm

SJOtoLIR wrote:
So Copa Airlines has changed their intended plans consisting in the retirement of the Embraer E90 fleet.

No. I think the E190 are also been retired. Looks like they will keep only the B738, the B39M and future B737 Max aircrafts.

LightChop2Chop · Thu May 07, 2020 9:09 pm

their smaller destinations might be trouble like MSY with this news.

LTU932 · Fri May 08, 2020 1:28 am

SJOtoLIR wrote:
SJOtoLIR wrote:
both SJO and LIR wouldn't be opened again on May 15th as scheduled before.

Update: All the Costa Rican borders will be close till June 15th.

And I'm hearing concerns about this possibly causing food shortages in Costa Rica. But as far as I know, the borders will only let cargo transportation into the country at this time, so I'm not worried (especially since the government announces the import of beans from Nicaragua).

I do wonder: Does any food like e.g. grains or perishables even get imported into the country by plane? Or is that purely surface transportation or even sea cargo?

copa330200 · Fri May 08, 2020 2:02 am

based on airfleets CM has:
14 B737-700 (11 in Panama + 3 in Colombia) ,
14 E90 (Panama)
57 B738 +7 B37M (Panama) + 2 B728 for Wingo

E90 and B737-700 were (both) active in February but that might change after Covid-19

copa330200 · Sat May 09, 2020 2:52 pm

from La Prensa in Panama
https://www.prensa.com/impresa/economia ... e-avianca/

2travel2know2 · Sat May 09, 2020 5:51 pm

CM shrugs-off bailout
https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN22J2NG from Reuters.com

"We're not requesting nor are we expecting any aid from the government,"

Copa Chief Executive Pedro Heilbron told analysts on Thursday.

"I think the government has bigger issues to deal with."

LTU932 · Sun May 10, 2020 12:51 pm

Sooner or later, everyone will want a bailout. With that being said, if they have managed their finances good enough, then it could be a smaller bailout if indeed they do decide to request one or change their minds about not wanting one at all.

Kilgen · Sun May 10, 2020 3:17 pm

CM Q1 earnings beats markets estimates:

Copa Holdings (CPA) Q1 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
Copa Holdings (CPA) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.75 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.56 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.11 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 12.18%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this holding company for Panama's national airline would post earnings of $1.98 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.17, delivering a surprise of 9.60%.

Copa Holdings, which belongs to the Zacks Transportation - Airline industry, posted revenues of $595.45 million for the quarter ended March 2020, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.46%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $672.17 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters.

For more details: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/copa-hol ... 11441.html

juanchito · Sun May 10, 2020 11:08 pm

SJOtoLIR wrote:
SJOtoLIR wrote:
both SJO and LIR wouldn't be opened again on May 15th as scheduled before.

Update: All the Costa Rican borders will be close till June 15th.

Guatemala will be closed until June 30

Juanchito

SJOtoLIR · Mon May 11, 2020 4:14 am

The Central American civil aviation will be strongly impacted as Avianca Holdings has filed under the Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy.
Further info has been actually posted into the dedicated thread, in this regard:

https://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1446029

SJOtoLIR · Thu May 14, 2020 1:09 pm

Delta Air Lines suspends indefinitely their services in Nicaragua.
The first flight on DL ATL-MGA was scheduled in 2005 and the airline had planned the return to Managua on June 13th.
However, both DL ATL-MGA and DL LAX-MGA won't operate anymore.

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