my understanding:

Carrier 1 is obligated to get you from Point A to Point B, that is all. If the flight on Carrier 1 is late and/or cancelled, they do not care that you are flying out on Carrier 2 to Point C. Carrier will will get you to Point B and then you are on your own.

However, if they are "code-shares" or partner airlines, *perhaps* they might care, but I doubt it.

ADDED: if you can get your whole itinerary booked with CO flight numbers (code-share), then you might have some recourse to a delay. But if you are going thru a travel agent, or online service, that is booking you on two separate airlines then I think the description above applies.

PS I don't fly international, so I don't know if there is such as thing as a Copa code share with a CO flight #.

[This message has been edited by EWR-COflyer (edited 12-30-2001).]