Copa Airlines  will increase humanitarian flights between, between May 23 and 31  a first step towards  transporting passengers again from June 1

Copa has had its fleet of 102 planes parked at Tocumen International Airport since midnight on May 22, when Panama prohibited commercial and passenger flights because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Tuesday, April 21 announcement is linked to the decision of the Civil Aviation Authority (AAC) to extend the suspension of commercial aviation closed until May 23.

Copa Airlines reported that it hopes to increase humanitarian flights to facilitate the return of passengers to their countries of residence. Antonio Ducruet, president of the board of directors of the Tocumen, SA airport said that humanitarian flights will be the first step to resume operations at the country's main air terminal.

"There are many Panamanians who are stranded abroad who want to return to the country, many are students and we also have foreign doctors and nurses who want to return to their countries to help control the pandemic," said Ducruet.

Daily, in Tocumen, more than 350 air operations are carried out between takeoffs and landings, which generates a daily flow of 42 thousand people.

The company is in negotiation with five unions that represent  8,877  (61%) of its workers who reside in Panama  - to determine how the extension of the closure of operations will be managed.

The airline announced in early April that among the plans it would execute to reduce its operating costs would be the temporary suspension of labor contracts as allowed by a decree issued by the Ministry of Labor.

Due to COVID -19, Copa Airlines calculates a fall of 70% of its income for this year: about $2 billion.