Abreed253

Hi, I am looking to book a flight from the Paraguay to toronto , Canada Both legs of the flight are with Copa. There is a layover for 7 hours 44 minutes in Panama City (PTY) and I had read that you don't have to go through customs if you are just flying out right away.

Can anyone clarify the process? With past trips through different countries, I've had to get off my plane, get my checked bag, clear customs, recheck my bag, go through security and get back to my gate. It seems like this might not be the case at PTY?

obscure2k

Welcome to Flyertalk, Abreed253. I am moving your thread to the Central America Forum (Please see Destinations category)
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

YadiMolina

With a connection on the same ticket on Copa, your checked bags should be checked through to YYZ, and you will not have to deal with immigration at PTY, as long as you remain in the terminal during your layover.

However, with that long layover, you could leave the terminal if you desired, passing through immigration and customs (with your carry-on bag). There are other threads here and in the Copa forum about what you could do if you wished.

retirementdreams

Since this question has been answered, I believe, I'm going to ask a different question about PTY. A friend is flying COPA nonstop from SFO. and I am flying AA SFO-MIA-PTY, arriving a few hours after her flight. If she decides to wait for me is there a restaurant or bar or something in the terminal after immigration etc, where she can wait for me? We are going to Gamboa Rain Forest and would like to split cab fare. Thank you.

YadiMolina

Not really. Outside of immigration, there is just one simple restaurant on the 3rd level (2 above the arrivals floor). However, in PTY you exit the plane into a typical domestic-style terminal, passengers are not sent directly to immigration. Inside the secure area, there is a food court on the upper level, with the only "real" sit-down restaurant being a Margaritaville (and a very mediocre one at that). My recommendation would be for your friend to wait in the terminal then meet you at your arriving gate, leaving any bags downstairs on the carousel.

If that's uncomfortable, about the only other recommendation would be to exit customs, turn left in the arrivals area, there are a few banks of chairs in front of the rental car counters.

aaflyer93

She should absolutely stay inside security... There's way more inside than outside; you can pass the time pretty easily.

onobond

Definitively advice her to stay airside. Not only more options to spend the hours waiting for you, but also the security aspect of a lone woman traveller sitting on a bench - might look too vulnerable, should there be any predators lurking...

YadiMolina

I know this advice was well-intentioned. But for the record the security risk of a lone woman -or anyone- in the arrivals exit area at PTY is as close to zero as possible. Staffed rental car counters, the visitor's welcome counter, taxi touts, chauffeurs, and Policia roaming inside and out. The Policia's office is located just meters from the exit of customs.