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2nd half year 2010 Volume 02 - No. 8 |
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COPA starts St. Maarten service |
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 Panamanian
carrier Copa Airlines touched down at Princess Juliana International
Airport (PJIA) on Saturday, Dec. 18. Copa flight 228, direct out of
Panama City utilizing a Boeing 737 aircraft, landed at 4:06 p.m., 11
minutes early, with a full complement of 124 passengers.
Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams and Deputy Prime Minister Theo
Heyliger were joined at the welcoming ceremony by Minister of Finance
Hiro Shigemoto, members of Parliament George Pantophlet and Roy Marlin,
French-side Senator Louis Constant-Fleming, PJIA Supervisory Board of
Directors Chairman Clarence Derby and hospitality representatives of St.
Maarten and St. Martin. Copa Marketing Director Mr. Marco Ocando and
Director of Commercial Affairs Mr Adolfo Sen were joined by several
Panamanian wholesalers and journalists on the inaugural flight to St.
Maarten. The aircraft was welcomed with the traditional “wet-down” by
PJIA’s crash tenders and the passengers were given a warm welcome.
St. Maarten Tourist Bureau head Ms. Regina Labega likened the occasion
to a wedding day after a long courtship. She said St. Maarten had set
its sights on attracting the airline as a major objective of its Air
Access Development in its Tourism Master Plan and Airlift Development
Study of 2005, carried out under the direction of then-commissioner of
tourism, now Deputy Prime Minister Theo Heyliger.
She said the arrival of Copa Airlines to the destination would deliver
annual revenue of some US $10 million. “At a time of severe financial
belt-tightening which the destination must endure, this is definitely no
chump change – this in addition to the numerous employment opportunities
it will also create,” Ms. Labega said.
“Copa,” she continued, “will open the entire South American market,
allowing St. Maarten to have a year-round scheduled service from Panama,
reach 33 different South American markets because of its hub network,
and aspire to year-round employment and, hopefully, end the seasonal
six-month contracts.
“The economic benefits of this marriage go beyond bringing only leisure
travelers to the island. Copa is a business airline and therefore the
potential for business development is enormous. From now on, our
merchants and business people will have direct air service to Panama,
thus opening another popular source for the importation of luxury goods.
“On our side of the equation, the arrival of Copa Airlines offers the
opportunity for our national airline Winair to serve as the hub airline
for the sub-region and the other stakeholders, namely Anguilla, St.
Barths, the British Virgin Islands, Saba and St. Eustatius.”
Princess Juliana International Airport Operating Company (PJIAE) Interim
Managing Director Mr. Larry Donker highlighted the fact that demand from
the Latin American traveler to the region was increasing, lending
credence to St. Maarten’s efforts in seeking to establish new air
service from Latin America.
Although there had been a decrease in U.S. passenger movement, Mr.
Donker noted, movement of Latin American and Caribbean passengers in
2010 thus far had increased 11 percent, with revenues of US $21.9
billion.
“Copa’s inaugural flight, which we welcome today, stands as a proud
testimony that our work is paying off. Copa will fly no less than two
flights per week, on Tuesday and Saturday. But we are optimistic, and
hope to see it develop into a daily service. This means business for St.
Maarten as a hub, and the Caribbean region we serve,” Mr. Donker said.
“But the importance of Copa goes beyond that. Copa is the national
carrier of Panama and links our island directly to Panama City, the hub
of the Americas – a strategic transit point for seamless transfers to
the major cities in Latin America and the U.S. The trickle-down effect
that St. Maarten may expect in terms of traffic is priceless.”
Deputy Prime Minister Theo Heyliger recalled the amount of work that had
gone into attracting the airline. He thanked Mr. Ricardo Roman, head of
St. Maarten’s marketing firm for the South American market, for his
tireless work in ensuring that Copa began service to the destination.
Mr. Heyliger said he and others were looking forward to connecting to
other cities in South America through Panama with Copa. He assured that
the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau would be working diligently to make those
connections possible. French St. Martin Collectivité President Frantz
Gumbs said Copa’s arrival constituted a good sign for St. Maarten/St.
Martin as a business destination, and that while current economic times
received criticism, Copa’s presence said, “business is coming,” and that
was always a good thing.
Mr. Gumbs said the airline’s arrival also indicated a renewed
relationship between French and Dutch tourism authorities, which had
become a little strained. However, new business like Copa, he added,
benefited two destinations. “And remember, when you land on the Dutch
side, there is also business to be done on the French side,” he hinted.
Copa Commercial Director Mr. Adolfo Sen said St. Maarten was important
for Copa’s network. With St. Maarten in the fold, Copa now serves 46
destinations in 25 countries.
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