The new Copa Club for the airline's preferential passengers is located in Terminal 2 and offers a terrace with a panoramic view.Gabriel Rodriguez/LPCopa Airlines passenger service operations enter a new era with the move to Terminal 2 of the Tocumen International Airport.In the passenger and baggage check-in area, the airline has 38 counters, in addition to 22 self-service kiosks to speed up check-in for flights.Operations for both departure and arrival international flights will be carried out from Terminal 2, in addition to domestic flights, in this case to the city of David in Chiriquí.In Terminal 2 of the Tocumen International Airport, Copa Airlines set up 38 counters for passenger and baggage check-in and 22 self-service kiosks to speed up check-in for flights.Gabriel Rodriguez/LPPedro Heilbron, executive president of the airline, stressed that they will be the first to operate in that area and other airlines will gradually be added.“All passengers whose trips originate in Panama or arrive in Panama on Copa Airlines will be served by T2, as well as flights to Chiriquí, which will have more facilities.”Regardless of the flight boarding and departure gate, all passengers traveling with Copa Airlines or arriving in the country on Copa Airlines flights will have to use Terminal 2.Another novelty is the inauguration of a new area for preferential passengers, the Copa Club in terminal 2, with capacity for 420 passengers, in an area of ​​1,935 square meters and can be used by PreferMember travelers, Star Alliance and all those traveling in Business Class.“At Copa we have focused on offering a world-class service to our passengers and on positioning our Hub of the Americas as the best connection center on the continent, which has led us to design a VIP space with all the necessary amenities to that our PreferMember passengers and all those traveling in Business Class find privacy and comfort when making their trip,” said Pedro Heilbron, executive president of Copa Airlines.This space has a total area of ​​1,935 m2, and a maximum capacity of 420 passengers who can enjoy environments for rest, recreation and business.Gabriel Rodriguez/LPWith a design inspired by a "modern Latin American hacienda", the new Copa Club combines a series of influences from Latin America that are mixed with details that give it a local touch.This exclusive space offers all the comforts so that the passenger feels at home, away from home;in his office, away from the office.The new Copa Club offers lounge areas with soft lighting and comfortable leather armchairs;family entertainment area;large showers;bars with a variety of snacks, drinks and liquors;and buffet service with a menu of varied appetizers.One of the special spaces of the Copa Club is La Placita, where the passenger can enjoy a replica of the interior patios of the houses of the Latin American haciendas, to which is added a Terrace with a panoramic view of the T2 of the International Airport. of Tocumen.The new Copa Club area in Terminal 2 of the Tocumen International Airport offers assistance with reservations, seat assignments and ticketing.Gabriel Rodriguez/LPIn addition, the business passenger has a business center, with workstations in a quiet area to work, as well as telephone booths and access to printers.The new Copa Club also offers passengers services such as: high-speed wireless Internet (WiFi), assistance with reservations, seat assignment and ticketing, numerous electrical outlets that offer the convenience of charging mobile phones and other electronic devices, and spaces to store suitcases.Copa Club is located near the security control area of ​​the new Terminal 2 of the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City.The new Copa Club offers lounge areas with soft lighting and comfortable leather armchairs;entertainment area for the family.Gabriel Rodriguez/LPRecovery of tourist tripsTourist trips have almost completely recovered in many destinations to the point that Copa Airlines' operations in the Latin American and Caribbean region and to North America register positive figures for passenger demand and flight occupancy.The executive president and CEO of the airline, Pedro Heilbron, said that last December they inaugurated flights to Cúcuta and Armenia in Colombia;to Atlanta in the United States and this June flights will begin to Barcelona in Anzoátegui state in Venezuela and to Santa Marta in Colombia.He indicated that by September it will begin operating with three flights a week to the Felipe Ángeles international airport (AIFA) in Mexico City.He clarified that they will continue with the usual flights to the Benito Juárez airport, in Mexico City, but to continue growing operations to the Mexican capital, they will use AIFA, in addition to the fact that the new terminal, also known as Santa Lucía, offers lower costs and competitive for airlines."The air market has recovered at a good pace, mainly driven by the tourist market and passengers, while the reactivation of business travel is slower," he said.In terminal 2 of Tocumen, Copa Airlines already uses several of the 20 gates enabled for operations.Gabriel Rodriguez/LPHeilbron pointed out that although there has been a good rate of recovery in the flow and demand of passengers, they are concerned about the impact that the sustained rise in fuel prices may have on airline finances and costs."Now the aviation industry in general faces headwinds due to fuel prices, which is more than 40% of the cost of airlines and is at historically high levels," he said, indicating that it is the main challenge that companies have. because it can eventually affect the recovery of finances and growth, and it can also affect the flow of passengers.Find out about local and international financial events.Business, finance, technology and entrepreneurship news.Look for our print edition every Tuesday in La Prensa.