PANAMA CITY and
BOGOTA, Colombia,
Aug. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aero
Republica, subsidiary of Copa Holdings, S.A. (NYSE: CPA), today announced the
delivery of its 8th EMBRAER-190 Aircraft directly from the manufacturer. The
airline currently operates a fleet of 13 aircraft, consisting of five MD-80
aircraft and eight EMBRAER-190 aircraft.
The new aircraft is part of the Aero Republica's fleet modernization and
renewal program, which began in 2006 and aims to replace MD-80 aircraft with
modern and efficient EMBRAER-190s. The EMBRAER-190, with a 106-seat single
class configuration, has two seats on each side of the aisle and no middle
seat. This modern aircraft incorporates advanced technological features such
as winglets, efficient and powerful GE CF34 motors and the latest Honeywell
Corporation aeronautics equipment.
"Fleet renewal has been one of Aero Republica's top priorities and the
benefits of this transition are more than evident. Today our fleet is the
most modern in Colombia, clearly defining our commitment to provide our
passengers safe, comfortable, and dependable service. Additionally, we have
become leaders in on-time performance in Colombia's domestic and international
markets," added Roberto Junguito, CEO of Aero Republica.
The EMBRAER-190s will be utilized to serve Aero Republica's domestic and
international routes more efficiently. They also will play an important role
in Aero Republica's alliance with Copa Airlines in Panama, through the joint
expansion of route networks that will provide passengers more destinations and
frequencies.
About Copa Holdings
Copa Holdings, through its Copa Airlines and Aero Republica operating
subsidiaries, is a leading Latin American provider of international airline
passenger and cargo service. Copa Airlines currently offers approximately 136
daily scheduled flights to 42 destinations in 22 countries in North, Central
and South America and the Caribbean. In addition, Copa Airlines provides
passengers with access to flights to more than 120 other international
destinations through code share agreements with Continental Airlines and other
airlines. Aero Republica, the second-largest domestic carrier in Colombia,
provides service to 12 cities in Colombia as well as international
connectivity with Copa Airlines' Hub of the Americas through flights from
Bogota, Bucaramanga, Cali, Cartagena and Medellin. Additionally, in May 2008,
Aero Republica increased international service by launching direct daily
flights to Caracas, Venezuela, from the cities of Bogota and Medellin.
CPA-G