US fines Copa Airlines US$450k for transporting passengers between US, Venezuela

The US DoT said Wednesday it fined Panama's Copa Airlines US$450,000 for unlawfully transporting passengers between the US and Venezuela via a stopover point, and ordered the airline to avoid future similar violations. The department said Copa violated a May 2019 order that barred U.S. and foreign air carriers from transporting passengers between the United States and Venezuela. It said Copa sold more than 5,000 tickets for air travel between the US and Venezuela and transported more than 15,000 passengers after the order took effect. Copa told officials it understands the seriousness of the matter and took considerable steps to avoid future violations, the transportation department said. Copa later reiterated that in a statement. <br/>