Other North & South America Frequent Flyer Programs - Copa Airlines Executive Class from Panama City - Review

I thought this might be of interest, esp. since Copa will join *A this month.


Copa Airlines Clase Ejecutiva (Business Class) Flight 430 Panama City, Panama – Miami – Review (http://www.frequentbusinesstraveler.com/2012/06/copa-airlines-clase-ejecutiva-first-class-flight-430-panama-city-panama-miami-review/)
By Eva Leonard
Scheduled to join the Star Alliance this month, rapidly growing Copa Airlines will add four new destinations to its current total of 59 when it launches new flights to Recife, Brazil; Liberia (Guanacaste) in Costa Rica; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Curacao later this year.

Check-in for my flight to Miami, Florida at Copa Airlines' hub, Panama City's Tocumen International Airport, was fairly quick for my 11:58 a.m. flight. With no luggage ….
Review continues here (http://www.frequentbusinesstraveler.com/2012/06/copa-airlines-clase-ejecutiva-first-class-flight-430-panama-city-panama-miami-review/)

Thanks, jspira, I was waiting for such review.

It appears that the business class seats are equivalent to FC seats on a north-american 737, aren't they?

From the photos I saw (I was not on the flight nor am I the author of the review), I would say yes.

I've heard the same. At least in seating, roughly equivalent to FC on a domestic 737 flight in the U.S. Not equivalent to international biz class in, say a 767, so not great for sleeping, but better than economy. Have heard varying reports on service. One friend took it between the US and Brazil and back and said things were a bit chaotic one way (e.g., long lines of people from eocnomy for the biz/first class toilet, with access not controlled by the fight attendants), but better the other direction. Fares are certainly usually a lot lower than others for the same class. I guess you wouldn't expect the same level of comfort and service. But you can accumulate miles on Star Alliance partner United, right? Article looks a bit like a flight industry/p.r. fluff piece, however. My wife has business clients in Brazil who have taken it and they haven't had the most positive of comments, but reviews on Skytrax (http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/copa.htm) mostly positive. I may try it sometime, as a sort of Economy plus option.

I've heard the same. At least in seating, roughly equivalent to FC on a domestic 737 flight in the U.S. Not equivalent to international biz class in, say a 767, so not great for sleeping, but better than economy. Have heard varying reports on service. One friend took it between the US and Brazil and back and said things were a bit chaotic one way (e.g., long lines of people from eocnomy for the biz/first class toilet, with access not controlled by the fight attendants), but better the other direction. Fares are certainly usually a lot lower than others for the same class. I guess you wouldn't expect the same level of comfort and service. But you can accumulate miles on Star Alliance partner United, right? Article looks a bit like a flight industry/p.r. fluff piece, however. My wife has business clients in Brazil who have taken it and they haven't had the most positive of comments, but reviews on Skytrax (http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/copa.htm) mostly positive. I may try it sometime, as a sort of Economy plus option.

The food and service is First is OK, certainly better than Coach on United or other carriers. Not up to Business First standards though. Not even close to TAM Business.

COPA flight attendants should be keeping Coach passengers out of the FC lavs.:mad:
Especially on night flights.

Bah! CM Clase Ejecutiva offers you the service of the outstanding Ana, and la musica of Paulina Rubio... me gustas tanto indeed.

OK the seats are old-school but I like their food and rum. And CM F is miles better than the awful CO-style Y-cabin fit. Don't forget that in the face of strong global competition, CM are the world champions for flogging their 738s for seven plus hour sectors and although F is not world-beating, the intra-cabin comfort differential is gigantic.

The TLW* & me are flying CUN to Quito next month via PTY. Booked in Business (first). On the first segment have seats in row 3. The rest of the segments are in row 2. Having never flown COPA before, I am looking forward to the experiance (-:

*The Little Woaman