The Panamanian flag carrier Copa Airlines received its 15th Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft earlier this week. The plane has the registration HP-9915CMP and landed at Tocumen International Airport on January 25. Like all of Copa Airlines’ 737 MAX 9 fleet, it has 138 economy seats, 24 in economy extra, and 12 in the Dreams business class. Now, let’s take a look at the carrier’s operation with the MAX. Let’s investigate further.
The fleet
According to ch-aviation, Copa Airlines currently has a fleet of 83 aircraft. The airline has six Boeing 737-700, 59 B737-800, one B737-800(BCF), and 15 B737 MAX 9. Earlier this week, the airline received a new MAX 9 unit, the first that Boeing delivered to Copa in 2022.
In 2021, Copa Airlines received seven MAX aircraft, registrations HP-9907CMP, HP-9909CMP, HP-9910CMP, HP-9911CMP, HP-9912CMP, HP-9913CMP, and HP-9914CMP.
During Copa Airlines’ third-quarter investors call, the airline’s CEO, Pedro Heilbron, announced they would accelerate MAX deliveries. Boeing and Copa agreed to expedite the delivery of 12 737 MAX 9 aircraft initially intended to be delivered starting in 2025. The airline is set to publish its 2021 full financial results in the next few weeks, and its CEO should update on the deliveries subject.
The operations
As of February 2022, Copa Airlines is scheduling 1,214 flights using its Boeing 737 MAX 9 fleet, according to Cirium. The airline is offering 203,580 seats onboard the MAX next month.
Currently, the airline is deploying its MAX aircraft on fifteen routes across the Latin American region. Copa is flying from Panama to the following destinations with the MAX:
- São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU)
- Cancun (CUN)
- Punta Cana (PUJ)
- Montevideo (MVD)
- Guayaquil (GYE)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- San Jose (SJO)
- San Francisco (SFO)
- Miami (MIA)
- Santo Domingo (SDQ)
- Buenos Aires Ezeiza International Airport (EZE)
- Orlando (MCO)
- Havana (HVA)
- Caracas (CCS)
- Lima (LIM)
Copa Airlines’ main route with the 737 MAX is between Panama and São Paulo. It has 138 scheduled flights throughout the month. In second place is Panama-Cancun, with 75 scheduled flights.
Compared to February 2021, Copa Airlines is operating 354.7% more flights with the MAX. This incredible increase can be explained through Copa receiving new MAX 9 aircraft, Panama’s recertification of the type, and Latin America’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline closed the year with nearly an 80% passenger recovery, compared to 2019 levels.
The incoming aircraft
This year, Copa Airlines expects to receive seven MAX 9 deliveries. Nonetheless, Copa Airlines also has two orders for 12 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 15 B737 MAX 10 aircraft. Regarding the latter, Copa should wait at least until 2023, Boeing’s scheduled year to start delivering the aircraft.
Like many carriers out there, Copa Airlines is currently renewing its fleet. In the last few years, the Panamanian flag carrier has rejected the leasing contracts of its Boeing 737-700 aircraft. It has also sold its Embraer E190 fleet, looking to operate under one aircraft and OEM family.
Moreover, Copa is slowly and timidly dipping its toe in the cargo waters. The airline has converted a Boeing 737-800 into a freighter aircraft and used it to carry cargo throughout Latin America.
Have you had the opportunity to travel onboard Copa Airlines’ Boeing 737 MAX 9 fleet? How was it? Let us know in the comments below.
