Panama seeks to establish direct flights to Japan

CONNECTION. The Japanese airline will use Panama as the gateway to other Latin American countries.

Currently the only direct flight between the Japanese city of Tokyo and Latin America is out of the Federal District of Mexico.

Plans to establish a direct flight between Panama and Japan have entered a new phase.

Salomon Shamah, administrator of the Panama Tourism Authority, confirmed that he is organizing a trip to Japan along with representatives of the Panamanian airline Copa Airlines to submit a business plan to the directors of the company All Nippon Airways (ANA).

Last year representatives of this airline toured Panama to learn about airport facilities, as well as the Copa Airlines hub.

Shamah said a firm was hired to conduct a study and determine the economic impact that would represent to establish a direct flight to Tokyo.

He said that if the deal were to materialize, the air link would be established next year and they would use the new Boeing 787 known as the Dreamliner which can fly 18 hours without refueling.

As has been done with other airlines such as Iberia, the Government would give an economic incentive to promote the ANA route. Iberia, which will establish a direct flight Madrid-Panama starting the first of October, will receive in three years about $ 4 million to spend on advertising that promotes destinations in Panama.

Following this line, the French / Netherlands airline Air France-KLM has requested an incentive of $ 2 million to promote their route, as it has plans to increase their weekly flights between Panama and Amsterdam. In November the company could increase from five to seven weekly flights.

Article courtesy of La Prensa Newspaper