Moderators Moderator_02 Posted November 12, 2016 Moderators Share Posted November 12, 2016 (edited) Quote Copa Holdings to launch Colombia-based LCC Wingo Oct 20, 2016 Rendering of Boeing 737-700 in Wingo livery Panama City-based Copa Holdings will launch Wingo, a low-cost carrier subsidiary of Copa Airlines Colombia, on Dec. 1. “Wingo … diversifies and expands Copa Holdings’ business and operational models, allowing us to better serve a market segment where many opportunities for growth and development still exist,” Copa Holdings CEO Pedro Heilbron said Oct. 20. The new airline will operate in a point-to-point business model, “with a simple organizational structure and low operating costs …offer[ing] low prices and convenient payment methods, as well as the option for travelers to personalize their travel experience with the amenities and services they value during their flight,” Copa said in a statement. The airline will operate administratively and functionally as a subsidiary of Copa Airlines Colombia, with completely autonomous structures for its commercialization, distribution systems and customer service, the company said. Catalina Bretón, director of international planning and commercial for New York-based JetBlue Airways since 2014, and previously with Bogotá, Colombia-based Avianca since 2002, will lead Wingo, Copa said. Copa Colombia CEO Eduardo Lombana will oversee operations, administration and finance of both Copa Airlines Colombia and Wingo. Wingo will operate a fleet of four Boeing 737-700 aircraft, each configured for single-class seating capacity for 142 passengers. The LCC’s route network will cover 16 cities in 10 countries in South America, Central America and the Caribbean; most of these routes will be transferred from Copa Colombia’s network. Wingo’s new domestic routes within Colombia, from Dec. 1, will include: daily Bogotá -Cartagena service; 5X-weekly Cali-San Andres service; 5X-weekly Cartagena-San Andres service; 3X-weekly Barranquilla-San Andres service; and 3X-weekly Bogotá-San Andres service. Wingo’s new international routes, beginning Dec. 1, will include: daily Bogotá-Caracas, Venezuela service; 6X-weekly Bogotá-Panama Pacifico International Airport (in Balboa, Panama) service; 5X-weekly Panama Pacifico-San Jose, Costa Rica service; 5X-weekly Bogotá–Cancun, Mexico service; 4X-weekly Bogotá-Mexico City service; 4X-weekly Bogotá-Quito, Ecuador service; 4X-weekly Medellin-Panama Pacifico service; 3X-weekly Bogotá-Havana, Cuba service; 3X-weekly San Jose-Guatemala City service; 2X-weekly Bogotá-Aruba service; 2X weekly Cali, Colombia-Panama Pacifico service; and 2X-weekly Bogotá-Punta Cana, Dominican Republic service. Mark Nensel mark.nensel@penton.com http://atwonline.com/airlines/copa-holdings-launch-colombia-based-lcc-wingo Edited January 21, 2017 by Moderator_02 edited title to make it a bit more general Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted November 12, 2016 Author Moderators Share Posted November 12, 2016 Quote PANAMA CITY, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Copa Holdings (NYSE: CPA), parent company of Copa Airlines and Copa Airlines Colombia, has officially launched Wingo in Colombia. Wingo, which will begin operations on December 1st, brings a low-cost/low-price offering, with flexible amenities to the market in Colombia and the region. Designed for travelers who prefer a simple and no-frills travel option, Wingo is a strategic response to dynamic market opportunities and a reflection of Copa Holdings' experience and strength. Wingo adds a unique business model to Copa Holdings, whose full-service airline Copa Airlines offer the best connectivity through the Hub of the Americas in Panama City. "We are proud to launch Wingo, which diversifies and expands Copa Holdings' business and operational models, allowing us to better serve a market segment where many opportunities for growth and development still exist", said Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Holdings. Wingo will operate administratively and functionally under Copa Airlines Colombian unit, with completely autonomous structures for its commercialization, distribution systems and customer service. The "point-to-point" business model, with a simple organizational structure and low operating costs, allows Wingo to offer low prices and convenient payment methods, as well as the option for travelers to personalize their travel experience with the amenities and services they value during their flight. "In addition to being a low-price business model, Wingo will deliver reliable service and operations, thanks in part to the support it will receive from the Copa family. Furthermore, Copa Holdings' economies of scale and business culture will allow Wingo to control costs better", Heilbron said. "We are confident this will be a winning formula." Catalina M Bretón, who has more than 12 years of experience in strategic planning, corporate and commercial management in the airline industry, will lead Wingo, with the goal of making it a successful and growing venture. Eduardo Lombana, current CEO of Copa Colombia, will oversee operations, administration and finance of both Copa Airlines Colombian unit and Wingo. Wingo will begin operations initially with service to 16 cities in 10 countries, including direct flights from Bogota to Cancun, Havana, Aruba, Punta Cana, Mexico City, San Andres, Panama City, Quito and Cartagena, among others. Most of these flights were previously operated under the Copa Colombia business model. A fleet of four Boeing 737-700 aircraft, each with single class seating capacity for 142 passengers, will cover the route network. Tickets will be available for purchase beginning October 20th via the website Wingo.com or by contacting the call center available at Wingo.com. Tickets may be paid with cash at Surtimax, Éxito and Carulla supermarkets; at Efecty electronic payment stations in Colombia; and at the airports in Bogotá, Panamá and Havana up to four hours before flight departure. Wingo´s Network: 16 cities in 10 countries Market Route Round Trip Weekly Frequencies Domestic Barranquilla - San Andres - Barranquilla 3x Bogota - San Andres - Bogota 3x Cali - San Andres - Cali 5x Cartagena - San Andres - Cartagena 5x Bogota - Cartagena - Bogota 7x 23x International Bogota - Aruba - Bogota 2x Bogota - Panama Pacifico - Bogota 6x Cali - Panama Pacifico - Cali 2x Medellin - Panama Pacifico - Medellin 4x Panama Pacifico - San Jose - Panama Pacifico 5x Bogota - Caracas - Bogota 7x Bogota - Cancun - Bogota 5x Bogota - Havana - Bogota 3x Bogota - Mexico - Bogota 4x Bogota - Punta Cana - Bogota 2x Bogota - Quito - Bogota 4x San Jose - Guatemala - San Jose 3x 47x Total 70x For more information, visit Wingo.com. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/copa-holdings-expands-travel-options-with-launch-of-wingo-in-colombia-300347991.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 (edited) Panama Pacifico to San José @ $125 Return Edited November 14, 2016 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted December 2, 2016 Author Moderators Share Posted December 2, 2016 Quote Low cost carrier’s first Panama landing Posted on December 1, 2016 in Panama Post Views: 248 WINGO, Panama’s latest addition to the low cost airline business landed it’s first flight arPanama Pacifico Airport at the former US Howard military base on Thursday December 1. Wingo, is owned by Copa Holdings, owner of Copa Airlines A traditional welcome The company, which has its headquarters In Colombia, began its flights on Thursday, , although ticket sales began three weeks ago. The airline recorded sales in excess of $3 million in the first 10 days of opening their bookings website. The airline will operate five domestic routes in Colombia and 12 international flights, among which are Panama, Costa Rica, Venezuela and Ecuador. Wingo will have a fleet of four aircraft and its parent company invested little more than $6 million dollars to start the operation. Wingo is Copa Holdings’ response to other Low cost airlines such as AirPanama and VivaColombia that also offer flights to and from and Panama at lower prices than regular commercial airlines. A Wingo spokesperson said that on average they receive from Panama some 31 609 weekly visits to the website. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/low-cost-carriers-first-panama-landing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoSailors Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 It will be interesting to hear folks experiences flying with them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hil Posted December 3, 2016 Share Posted December 3, 2016 Not much good for us living in Chiriqui. Maybe they will start a connection from David to Panama Pacifico International Airport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted December 3, 2016 Share Posted December 3, 2016 A number of folks I know have taken advantage of low fares and flown with Viva Colombia out of Howard. They just take a bus or cab from Albrook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted December 30, 2016 Author Moderators Share Posted December 30, 2016 http://www.prensa.com/in_english/Colombia-Abren-investigacion-Wingo-incumplimiento_21_4654994465.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted January 21, 2017 Author Moderators Share Posted January 21, 2017 Methinks the title of this article should read: "Wingo Cartagena Bonus". Quote Wingo Categena bouns Posted on January 20, 2017 in Panama Post Views: 104 LESS THAN two weeks after Air Panama announced that it has been granted permits to fly fly to Cali and Cartagena, Colombia. Wingo, the new low cost airline venture of Copa Holdings announced the opening of a new route from the Panama Pacifico airport in Panama City to the historic Cartagena. http://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/panama-2/wingo-categena-bouns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 (edited) The inaugural Wingo flight from Cartagena arrived at Aeropuerto Panama Pacifico the other day. Edited February 24, 2017 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted December 8, 2017 Author Moderators Share Posted December 8, 2017 Quote Wingo abandons Panama-Costa Rica route Posted on December 7, 2017 in Latin America, Panama Post Views: 161 WINGO, the low-cost subsidiary of Copa Airlines has faced some turbulent balance sheet conditions despite recording sales of $90 million s in its first year, and faced with strong competition from Air Panama, has pulled the plug on its Costa Rica-Panama route due to the poor results. The company had previously abandoned the Costa Rica-Guatemala route due to low demand. Catalina Bretón, general manager of the company with her base in Colombia noted that not all routes have the same acceptance and it was decided to leave that market, leaving sister company Copa Airlines to meet the demand. “There are other routes that have had a greater acceptance, such as flights to Colombia, where We fly daily to some cities, and we have increased flights to others, “she told La Prensa In Costa Rica, Wingo competed with Air Panama, which this year added an additional frequency from the Costa Rican capital to Bocas del Toro, with a stop in the province of Chiriqui. Bretón said that in a few months they have achieved profit, but still the balance sheet is negative. Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines, said during a conference on the quarterly results of the company, it will take time before Wingo is profitable, adding that the company represented 2% of Copa Holdings, revenues Holdings, which between July and September generated $657 million. During the conference call with Wall Street financial analysts, Heilbron commented that have managed to reduce the operational losses of Copa Colombia, the former AeroRepublic, company that served as a base to put together the operations of Wingo, carrying 787,000 passengers in their first year. Breton, said that the company has a rate of 99.8% of flights completed f and a punctuality of 89.9%. With a fleet of 4 aircraft with a capacity of 142 passengers, Wingo offers flights on 16 routes in 8 countries, with flights between Panama and Colombia (Bogotá, Cartagena, Cali and Medellín) registering the biggest movement of passengers. On flights to Colombia, the company competes with Viva Colombia, with whom it shares space in the Panama Pacifico terminal, Howard’s former military base and also with Air Panama, which is based in the Marcos A. Gelabert terminal in Albrook. http://www.newsroompanama.com/business/latin-america-2/wingo-abandons-panama-costa-rica-route Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted January 30, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted January 30, 2018 Quote More cheap flights to Cartagena Posted on January 29, 2018 in Latin America & Caribbean, Panama Post Views: 256 WINGO, Copa Airlines low-cost subsidiary has doubled the number of flights between Panama and Cartagena, a Unesco World Heritage site, going from two weekly flights to four that will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. With this increase in its operations, Wingo will now have 19 weekly frequencies between Panama and Colombia: flying from the Panamanian capital to the cities of Bogotá, Medellín, Cali and Cartagena. http://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/latin-america-caribbean/cheap-flights-cartagena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted June 9, 2019 Author Moderators Share Posted June 9, 2019 Quote Copa plans low cost Wingo flights for Panama Posted 08/06/2019 The low-cost airline Wingo, based in Colombia, and owned created by Copa Holdings is expanding into the Panamanian market under the umbrella of a newly created Copa subsidiary. The company has applied to the Civil Aviation Authority (AAC) for permits to offer flights to 11 destinations, in five countries, from the Panama Pacifico International Airport, the former Howard military base. The flights will be operated under the Wingo brand, which will maintain its current operation in Colombia, where it offers flights to seven countries. Copa requested AAC authorization to offer flights from Panama Pacifico to Havana, Cuba; Caracas Venezuela; Lima Peru; Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, Pereira, Barranquilla and Santa Marta, in Colombia. The application also includes a connection to San Jose, Costa Rica. The request was made to operate seven weekly frequencies, but company spokesmen said they will start with two or four flights per destination. The public hearing, a requirement demanded by the AAC to grant operating permission for new flights, scheduled for June 5, was moved to next week because the entity had to look for a larger room to for the many interested in listening to the airline's plans. Copa's low-cost subsidiary will compete directly with Air Panama for the Colombian market. The calculation is that it is operational in the first quarter of 2020. "The New Airline will operate towards international destinations, offering low prices, punctuality, and good vibes. Therefore, it will increase Panama's international air connectivity, particularly promoting tourism to the country. Additionally, tourists arriving in Panama Pacifico will have better access to the beaches and various tourist attractions located in western Panama," Copa said. The flights will be operated with Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft. Hoteliers and tourism operators welcomed the increase of low-cost flights from Panama under but they say indicate that the best thing is for new air groups with economic rates to arrive in the country, which would generate much better prices. With the expansion, Copa takes the space left by Viva Colombia in May 2018, which left the Panamanian market under the argument that the increase in the exit tax applied by Tocumen SA . to flights in Panama Pacifico, affected passenger loads. https://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/copa-plans-low-cost-wingo-flights-for-panama-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted July 18, 2019 Author Moderators Share Posted July 18, 2019 Quote New Wingo flights to Havana in November Posted 17/07/2019 Low-cost airline, Wingo, will open a new route from Panama to Havana, Cuba, in November as part of its expansion plan. Panama Pacifico International Airport and the José Martí International Airport will be connected from Saturday, November 2, with to weekly flights, departing from Panama Pacifico at 12:53 pm and arriving in Havana at 3:28 pm; flights from the island depart at 4:28 p.m. and arrive in Panama City at 7:18 p.m. https://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/new-wingo-flights-to-havana-in-november Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 (edited) Less than $200 return. Edited July 18, 2019 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted November 7, 2019 Author Moderators Share Posted November 7, 2019 Quote ‘Best’ low-cost airline has new CEO, expansion plans Posted 06/11/2019 Wingo airline listed for the second consecutive year as the best low-cost airline in Latin America, according to KAYAK travelers, has named Carolina Cortizo Colón as the new CEO who will head major expansion plans in 2020 According to Wingo, they have maintained an indicator of 99.9 percent itinerary compliance and achieving positive financial performance. "Wingo is the low-cost airline with the highest international recognition in the region and becoming part of the team that has made this possible makes me proud," said Cortizo Colón added that, “our main objective will continue to give millions of travelers the opportunity to fly with low prices, punctuality, and good vibes. In addition, we will take Wingo to the next level with an important expansion plan, in terms of routes and fleet, in 2020. ” Carolina Cortizo Colón, daughter President Lorentio Cortizo, is an industrial and systems engineer from Virginia Tech and has a Master of Science in Systems Engineering Administration from the same university. She has over seven years experience in strategic planning in the airline sector, as well as product development, rates and revenue optimization, which will add great value to the Wingo growth plan says a company statement The new CEO assumed the position on November 1 https://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/best-low-cost-airline-has-new-ceo-expansion-plans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted February 27, 2020 Author Moderators Share Posted February 27, 2020 Quote New Flight between Panama and Lima The low-cost airline Wingo announced that as of April 28 it will begin operating a direct flight twice a week between the capitals of Panama and Peru. Wednesday, February 26, 2020 The new route, which will have tickets available on Tuesdays and Saturdays, will be operated by 737-800 NG aircraft with capacity for 186 passengers, company officials said. You may be interested in "Tourism and Travel: Consumer Interests and Preferences" Carolina Cortizo, Wingo's CEO, told Laestrella.com.pa that "... The announcement of this new route to Lima is the beginning of the materialization of Wingo's expansion plan in the Panama market. In just three years, we have become a profitable airline...". The article adds that "... The new flight is estimated to leave Panama Pacifico at 12:59 p.m. and land in Lima at 4:25 p.m. Flights from Lima will take off at 5:20 p.m. to arrive in Panama City at 9:00 p.m.". Source: laestrella.com.pa https://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/New_Flight_between_Panama_and_Lima Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted February 29, 2020 Author Moderators Share Posted February 29, 2020 Quote Wingo plans more flights, destinations Posted 28/02/2020 Wingo one of Panama’s two low-cost airlines plans to make charter flights from Colombia to the airport of Rio Hato, in Coclé province; Carolina Cortizo, general manager of Wingo, a subsidiary of Copa Holdings, a group that includes Copa Airlines, said they are negotiating with the operator that would set up the charter flights. The Panama Tourism Promotion Fund is also participating and, will about $90,000 to promote the flights. Cortizo, daughter of the president of Panama, with 8 years experience in Copa Airlines before taking over Wingo operations, said that if the demand arises they would also establish charter flights to the city of David. "At the end of the year we are going to base a plane in Panama, which will serve to offer more flights from the Panama Pacifico airport," Cortizo said. With this new aircraft, the company would have a fleet of 5 planes. The airline has its base of operations in Colombia, from where it offers internal flights in that country, and to Panama from the cities of Bogotá, Medellín, Calí and Cartagena. From the airport, in Panama Pacifico it already markets flights to Havana, Cuba and from April the Lima (Peru) -Panama route will begin to operate. Pedro Heilbron, executive director of Copa Airlines, said that Wingo contributes 2% of the revenues of the airline group. The route to the Peruvian capital will be served with two weekly flights from April 28, with a fare from $113 round trip. "With this rate, we want to bring many Peruvian tourists to Panama and also that many Panamanians know this southern country," Cortizo said. Wingo and Air Panama are the two low-cost airlines that operate in the country after Viva Colombia closed its operations in Panama in 2018, In its three years of operation, Wingo has transported more than 800,000 passengers to and from Panama. https://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/wingo-plans-more-flights-destinations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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