PANAMA: Copa Expands Services To Fort Lauderdale And Tampa

Copa Airlines has announced that it will expand service to Fort Lauderdale and Tampa, Florida, beginning in July 2018.

This decision comes after the carrier’s consideration to offer its passengers more flights with improved schedules and connectivity with the rest of the continent.

We are constantly seeking opportunities to offer our passengers more flight options, says Copa Airlines CEO, Pedro Heilbron.

This dedication to service led us to evaluate every route and examine the possibility of increasing flight frequency. We see potential in these markets as demand has increased over this past year.

With these new flights in the U.S., passengers who want to visit these important tourist destinations will find that they have more seats and more dates to choose from, Heilbron said.

Copa will operate daily flights between Tampa International Airport (TPA) and Panama’s Tocumen International Airport (PTY) starting July 14, 2018.

Daily flights from PTY to TPA depart at 9:10 am and land at 1:30 pm local time, while the return flight takes off from TPA at 3:09 pm and arrives in PTY at 5:33 pm local time.

Having flights from Panama seven days a week makes it easier for our Latin American guests to come to enjoy our world-famous beaches, museums, nightlife and amusement parks, says Tampa International Airport’s CEO Joe Lopano.

The Tampa Bay area is also an important business hub and having a wider range of flights will enable international business travelers to get to their meetings on time. This will have a positive impact on Tampa’s economy and our business ties throughout the Americas,” he added.

Copa currently operates an average of 350 daily flights through the Hub of the Americas, which was founded in 1992 and it’s located at PTY.

The Star Alliance member will also increase from four to five weekly flights between PTY and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) from July 22.

Five flights a week, available on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, will depart PTY at 11:39 am, to land in FLL at 3:48 pm local time. The return flight leaves FLL at 5:51 pm, and arrives in PTY at 8:01 pm local time.

Congratulations to Copa Airlines for their continued success at Broward County´s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, helping to make FLL one of the fastest growing airports in the United States,” said Mark Gale, CEO/Director of Aviation Broward County’s FLL.

This expanded service to Panama City, Copa will offer travelers the opportunity to experience all the unique amenities Broward County has to offer, from unique dining choices, amazing water sports activities to fine arts,” added Gale.

The Panamanian airline has also agreements and codeshares with other international carriers, such as Lufthansa, Air France, and KLM, allowing its customers to reach over 1,300 airports in 191 countries, with more than 18,400 daily flights.


Tourism Observer

USA: Spirit Airlines To Start Piedmont Triad Flights To Fort Lauderdale,Orlando And Tampa International Airports

Spirit Airlines will Beginning Sept. 6, operate service from Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Orlando International Airport (MCO), and Tampa International Airport (TPA).

The Piedmont Triad will mark Spirit’s 66th service station in its growing network. Service to and from Orlando will run 3 times weekly, while service to and from Fort Lauderdale and Tampa will each operate 2 times weekly, starting this September.

Service will increase to 4 times weekly to Orlando and 3 times weekly to Fort Lauderdale and Tampa starting November 8, 2018.

Spirit is excited to offer the Piedmont Triad ultra-low fares to warm, family-friendly destinations just in time for a winter getaway, said Mark Kopczak, Spirit Airlines’ vice president of network planning.

Our Guests will be able to make the most out of their vacations by choosing the options they want and saving money in the process. We pride ourselves on providing more opportunities for everyone to travel.

The airport authority is very excited to welcome Spirit to PTI, said Stephen D. Showfety, chairman of the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority.

Spirit is an ultra-low cost carrier that is building a sterling reputation for reliable, on-time service to key markets.

Spirit service at PTI is a great win for the airport and a great win for the community and the state.


Tourism Observer

USA: Southwest Announces 22 New Routes

Southwest Airlines, which plans to grow capacity 3.5% in 2017, has released details on 22 new and seasonal routes, including four international routes originating from its forthcoming international concourse at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida.

As of Nov. 30, 2016, the Dallas, Texas-based carrier had taken delivery of 131 of 155 Boeing 737-800s on order; 32 were delivered through Nov. 30, approximately three per month. At this rate, the remaining 737-800s should be delivered by July, in time for the planned entry-into-service of Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft, for which Southwest is the launch customer. Southwest has 200 737 MAXs on order.

Southwest’s new five-gate international Concourse A at Fort Lauderdale’s Terminal 1 is scheduled to open June 4. On that date, Southwest will launch 1X-daily service to Grand Cayman. On June 6, the airline will begin new routes to Montego Bay (Jamaica), Belize and Cancun (Mexico). The new routes are pending government approvals and will bring to eight the total number of international routes Southwest will operate from Fort Lauderdale (along with Nassau, Bahamas, and Cuban cities Havana, Varadero and Santa Clara).

Additionally out of Fort Lauderdale, Southwest plans to launch new 1X-daily service to Washington Dulles, 1X-daily service to Philadelphia, and 1X-daily service to Orlando beginning June 4.

The airline will also launch a new 2X-daily Tampa-New York LaGuardia service, as well as a weekend Pensacola-Denver route.

The airline also announced new Ohio routes beginning June 4, concentrating on operations out of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and Cleveland International Airport. Southwest plans to end operations out of airports in both Akron-Canton and Dayton on June 3. The new Ohio routes include daily Cincinnati-Baltimore, Cincinnati-Chicago Midway, and Cleveland-Atlanta service. The airline will increase Cleveland-St Louis service to 2X-daily.

Also out of the US midwest, Southwest will introduce new Indianapolis-Newark and Nashville-Minneapolis service, starting June 4.

On the US west coast, Southwest is boosting service from San Diego with two new routes (San Diego-Boise, Idaho and San Diego-Salt Lake City, Utah) and three seasonal routes (San Diego-Newark; San Diego-Spokane, Washington; and San Diego-Indianapolis, Indiana). All routes will begin June 4.

Additional new west coast routes to launch on June 4 include Portland, Oregon-San Francisco; San Jose, California-Reno, Nevada; and a seasonal route between Oakland, California-Newark.

USA: Shooter Opens Fire at Ft. Lauderdale Airport

A shooter killed “multiple people” at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Friday before being taken into custody, officials said.

Five people died in the shooting, at least nine were shot, citing unnamed law enforcement sources.

The Broward County Sheriff’s office tweeted “multiple people” had died and one person was in custody.

The shooter appeared to be a man in his 20s wearing a Star Wars T-shirt who was shot by police as he attempted to reload.

The shooting took place at the Terminal 2 baggage claim, said a post on the airport’s Twitter account.

Security officials corralled passengers underneath jetways and on the runway apron, according to images on cable news networks.

Ari Fleischer, a former press secretary for U.S. President George W. Bush, said on Twitter shots were fired and “everyone is running.”

“All seems calm now but the police aren’t letting anyone out of the airport – at least not the area where I am,” he said.

A woman tended to a bleeding, seated man outside an airport building, according to a photo posted on Twitter by a Michigan information technology company.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office received a call at about 12:55 p.m. local time about shots fired at 100 Terminal Drive at the airport, the department wrote on Twitter.

All services were temporarily suspended, the airport’s Twitter feed said.

Florida Governor Rick Scott was traveling to Fort Lauderdale to be briefed by law enforcement, his office said in a statement.

The FBI’s Miami office was “aware of the situation” and in contact with local authorities, a spokesman said in an email. No further information was immediately available.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is the second largest in South Florida, serving as an intercontinental gateway, with Miami International Airport known as the primary airport for international flights in the area.

USA: Emirates Lands At Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Emirates Airlines' inaugural flight EK213 to Florida touched down at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Thursday at 10.50am local time (7.50pm Dubai time) marking the 154th destination in Emirates’ global network.

The 16-hour-and-a-half flight that was nearly full, took off at 3.30am Dubai time early Thursday morning becoming the 11th gateway to the USA — and the second to Florida — complementing Orlando that was launched last year, according to Hubert Frach, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, West.

Addressing journalists from Florida, a fleet of reporters from the UAE media, VIPs and members of the aviation authorities in Fort Lauderdale, Frach said: “At Emirates, we’re proud to be global connectors of people, places and economies. Today’s flight carried passengers from North America, the Far East, the Middle East, South Asia, the Asian subcontinent and Africa – a powerful demonstration of that point.”

Emirates launched its 11th destination in the United States with the start of a daily non-stop passenger service between Dubai and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport [FLL].

“In fact," said Frach, "it is the first scheduled commercial service from the Middle East in the airport's history. Our new daily service to Fort Lauderdale will significantly enhance South Florida’s commercial and cultural connections. Emirates is proud to connect people across the globe and today’s inaugural flight illustrates the reach of our global network and the potential tourism and trade opportunities of our daily service."

The launch of the historic route, he said, "will allow us to offer Emirates' unique product and award-winning service to passengers flying to and from South Florida to our home in Dubai,” Frach told a press conference shortly after the landing at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

Meanwhile Mark Gale, CEO and Director of Aviation in Florida, said FLL is proud to welcome Emirates, one of the world’s premiere airlines to Broward County.

“This new service to Dubai, and ultimately to the rest of the world, will provide our community with tremendous business and travel opportunities. With an estimated annual economic impact to our region of more than $105 million and approximately 1000 new jobs as a direct and indirect result of Emirates arrival, we are confident this new service will mark the beginning of many more great things to come,” he said.

The new service operates as flight EK213, departing from Dubai International Airport at 3:30am local time and arriving at FLL at 10:55am.

EK214, the return flight, departs FLL at 8:20pm, and arrive in Dubai at 7:40pm the next day, with a flying time of 14 hours and 20 minutes.

Present at the event was Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief, who said FLL is one of the fastest growing airports in the US, servicing more than 29 million passengers this year.

“We are proud to partner with Emirates Airline as together we make history by offering the first non-stop flight service from South Florida to the Middle East and beyond. Broward County is a leading destination market for tourists and an economic hub for businesses large and small. We have recently invested $2.4 billion to expand and renovate our airport to insure world class service now and in the future,” she said.

Fort Lauderdale is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States thanks to its abundant sunshine and temperate weather.