Copa Airlines Flight from Montreal to Panama City

General Information

• Flight duration: 6 hours
• Aircraft: Boeing 737-800
• Route: Montreal, Canada to Panama City, Panama
• Airline Overview:
  • Flag Carrier: Panama
  • Fleet: 100 Boeing 737s
  • Hub: Panama City as a connecting hub between North and South America
  • Destinations in Canada: Toronto and Montreal

Montreal Departure

• Airport: Montreal's YUL airport
• Check-in:
  • Copa Airlines has a smaller, less crowded check-in area
  • Easy online check-in
  • Only traveled with a carry-on
• Security: Central security area used for both international and domestic flights
• Gates: Departed from a gate in the newer extension of the international section (opened in 2016)

Aircraft Details

• Boeing 737-800: 11-year-old, delivered in November 2012
• Previous Branding: Looks similar to Continental Airlines due to past partnership
• Special Liveries: 75th anniversary retro livery

Boarding and Initial Impressions

• Boarding Time: Starts around 6:30AM
• Seat: 22F (just behind the wing)
  • Seat Pitch: 31” pitch; thicker seats impacting legroom negatively for taller passengers
• Inflight Entertainment (IFE): Built-in screens with a decent selection of movies, some TV shows, music from Panama, and a moving map
• Other Features: USB port, complimentary earbuds, sturdy tray tables and utensils
• Delays: 30-minute delay due to fueling issues

Flight Route

• Path: South from Montreal, over northeastern U.S., Bahamas, Cuba, Caribbean Sea, to Panama City
• Tray Table & Seat Pocket Contents:
  • Tray table didn’t fit well over knees
  • Seatback pocket had air sickness bag, inflight magazine, and safety card

Onboard Service

• Breakfast Options: Banana oatmeal cake or English muffin
  • English muffin with fruit bowl, hash browns, and slice of ham
• Drink Service: Water in recyclable cups
• Service Duration: Trays remained for an hour before being collected

Cabin Configuration

• Economy Class: 120 seats in a 3-3 layout
• Business Class: 4 rows of recliner style seats in 2-2 layout
• Premium Seats: 24 seats with extra legroom (34” pitch)
• Lavatories: Typical slimline 737 lavatories

Arrival in Panama City

• Descent: Great views of the Caribbean coast and dense forest
• Landing: Runway 03R at Tocumen International Airport
• Customs Forms: Distributed before arrival

Overall Experience

• Comfort: Limited legroom, less enjoyable for taller passengers
• Positives:
  • Complimentary meal in Economy
  • Built-in IFE
  • Various connections through Panama City
• Future Considerations: Exploring Dreams Business Class for better comfort on longer flights

Thank you for following this trip report on Copa Airlines!