COPA (Compania Panamena de Aviacion)
Operator Identification
June 1944 to present
Panama
TYPE: Airline
IATA/ICAO CODES: CM / CMP
HEADQUARTERS: Panama City Tocumen International, Panama
FORMER NAME: Nil
SUBSEQUENT NAME: Nil
Operator History
The airline was established as Companía Panamena de Aviacion on 21 June 1944, and started operations on 15 August 1947. It was founded by a group of Panamanian investors with the assistance of Pan American World Airways, who took a 32% stake. It began operating domestic flights with a small fleet of DC3s, later complemented by two Commandos. A thrice-weekly service to David was mandated by the government (seven times a week if no other airline served the route), along with a once-weekly service to Bocas del Toro. Both routes were extended to Changuinola in 1955. The airline started its first international flights in 1957, with service to San Jose, Costa Rica, and Bogota & Cartagena, Colombia.
COPA remains Panama's flag carrier to this day.
Commando Operations
1956 to 1968
COPA operated two Commando on its schedules passenger routes. These were replaced in the mid-1960's by Martin 4-0-4s and HS748s.
Last edited: 03/01/2021