Copa Airlines, a subsidiary of Copa Holdings, S.A. and a member of the global airline network Star Alliance, has received recognition from CIRIUM as the “Most Punctual Airline in Latin America” during a special ceremony held at its Maintenance Center, located at Tocumen International Airport. This achievement, achieved by the airline 10 years ago, highlights its operational leadership with an on-time performance rate of 88,22% in 2024, the highest in the Americas and the third highest in the world. During the event, Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines, highlighted the contribution of employees to this result. “Ten years of punctuality reflect the commitment, dedication and unwavering effort of our entire team. From the airport teams, our technicians, operators and crews, to the administrative support team, each employee plays a fundamental role in providing a safe and reliable service. Their consistency and passion have always allowed us to overcome the challenges of a dynamic industry exposed to multiple factors. Reaching this milestone is a shared pride that we celebrate with gratitude and renewed commitment to our passengers,” said Heilbron.<br/>
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Avianca is expanding its network in South Florida. As of May 10, 2025, the airline will add nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and the Nicaraguan capital, Managua. “The launch of this new route between Fort Lauderdale and Managua underscores our dedication to connecting key markets and offering seamless access to the best destinations in Latin America,” said Rolando Damas, director of sales for Avianca. Story has further details of Avianca’s newest nonstop flight connecting South Florida and Central America.<br/>
Air Canada is grappling with the cascading effects of severe winter weather and the Endeavor Air MHIRJ CRJ900 crash at Toronto Pearson International airport. The Montreal-headquartered carrier said on 18 February that storms in Eastern Canada and ”a major aircraft incident that has reduced capacity” in Toronto have made for several “extremely challenging” days of operations. The carrier cancelled some 1,300 flights over the past six days as Montreal and Toronto have been buffeted by strong winds and heavy snowfall. Large-scale snow removal operations underway in both cities. Weather may have been a factor in the 17 January regional jet crash at Toronto Pearson, in which a Delta subsidiary-operated CRJ900 erupted in flames and overturned following a hard landing on a snowy runway. All 80 occupants – 76 passengers and four crew members – escaped the burning and inverted aircraft. Meteorological data indicate gusting winds the time of the accident, which closed Toronto Pearson for several hours. Delta says that 21 injured passengers were taken to hospitals to be treated for injuries, and 19 people had been released on the morning of 18 February. Flight-tracking website FlightAware shows that Air Canada cancelled about 200 departures on 17-18 February, and that about 40% of its flights were delayed. ”We recognise that travel disruptions are inconvenient for customers, but safety must always be our top priority and sometimes ensuring safe travel requires slowing down and adapting to conditions,” the carrier says. <br/>
Lufthansa has partnered with technology provider AirPortr to offer passengers a new convenient baggage collection service. Passengers departing from Frankfurt Airport can pay to have their baggage collected from their homes or hotels for as low as $26. Through the partnership, Lufthansa passengers departing from Frankfurt can have their suitcases and bags picked up from their homes or hotels, allowing them to travel to the airport without having to carry heavy check-in luggage. Once collected, the luggage is sealed and taken to the airport securely for check-in. Passengers will receive real-time updates through a personalized tracking link and a digital tag receipt . Upon arrival at the airport, travelers can simply head straight to the security checkpoint and will receive their luggage upon arrival at their destinations. Commenting about the new service, Lufthansa Chief Customer Officer Heiko Reitz said: "We aim to continuously improve the overall travel experience of our guests and further expand our premium services – both during the flight and on the ground. With the new pick-up and check-in service, we are offering our passengers another exclusive service that is unique in Germany. We are making the journey easier from the very first minute."<br/>
Full-service airline Air India is strengthening its international network. On Monday, the airline announced a new codeshare agreement with Virgin Australia. The move is expected to boost connectivity between India and Australia, the airline said in a statement. The codeshare agreement will cover Virgin Australia flights to 16 destinations in Australia and New Zealand, including Adelaide, Byron Bay, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, and Queenstown. Air India’s distinctive AI flight code will be added to Virgin Australia flights operating to these destinations. Air India currently operates 14 weekly flights between India and Australia. The agreement will allow passengers to fly from Delhi to Sydney or Melbourne on an Air India-operated flight and then connect on Virgin Australia flights on a single ticket. Air India already has a partnership with Australia-based Qantas Airways. Air India intends to increase its share in this segment. “Australia is one of Air India’s most important international markets,” said Nipun Aggarwal, CCO. Skift had earlier quoted Aggarwal talking about an integrated operation between Air India and Air India Express. He had said Air India would focus on premium traffic and full-service operations across international and metro markets, while Air India Express would concentrate on short-haul markets and point-to-point domestic routes.<br/>
EVA Air will roll out a new premium-economy product on its Boeing 787-9s, as it unveils the latest iteration of its seat design. The Taiwanese operator received its first -9 (B-17887) configured with the new product on 12 February, with the jet entering commercial service on 18 February flying from Taipei to Jakarta. The latest premium-economy product – the airline’s fourth generation since 1992 – will subsequently be installed on the eight 787-9s that will be delivered through 2029. EVA Air does not state if the new product will be retrofitted on existing 787s. Airline Business data shows the Star Alliance operator to have 16 787s in service, comprising a mix of -9s and -10s. The airline’s current generation of premium-economy seats – first introduced in 2014 – can only be found on its 777-300ERs. The new seats will come with a seat pitch of 42in - 4in more than the current product - and will be configured seven-abreast on the 787. “The airline aims to offer a refined and comfortable cabin experience, strengthening its comprehensive three-class service offerings,” EVA Air states. While the airline does not disclose who the seat manufacturer is, the seat design is very similar to Safran Seats’ Z535i product. EVA Air will introduce the new product on routes such as Milan and Vienna in the future, as more aircraft join its fleet, as well as to San Francisco. <br/>