#9 out of 94 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings.
77 reviews
The Copa Club was disappointing and it felt like an exact copy of CO's former lounge right down to the lacking buffet. This shouldn't come as a surprise since CM had a very close relation with CO and was partly owned by it. If CM wants to make PTY the "hub" of the Americas it should upgrade this lounge and make it more competitive. It should come as a huge let down for AF/KL passengers when they use this lounge. For starters, the availability of two showers and a small WC are not enough to meet the needs for the number of guests that frequent this lounge, especially during peak times. On a separate trip recently, I waited 1:15 hr for the use of a shower and was #6 on the waiting list when I checked in at 06:45A. The catering is truly disgraceful but considering that this is the only airline lounge at PTY airport, it might not be a high priority. I'm not asking CM to offer a full buffet of hot dishes, but please bring something more substantial than packaged snacks that one can get at a vending machine. PTY has been compared to DXB or SIN, but its airport seems decades behind and is not a fitting representative of the city it serves.
The ground staff is polite and professional so no complaints in this area. At times I feel that they do their best with what they have with the limited infrastructure. Hopefully the expansion of the terminal and new project by Foster+Partner will bring much needed improvements and a new club. PTY airport is dire compared to its modern and wealthy downtown that passengers get to see when they land here.
The crew was OK and did the job efficiently maintaining a certain distance. I would say that for the most part CM crew are professional but not too talkative or warmly engaging. I don't have a problem with that and I'd rather take this any day than a crew that is vocally rude.
As far as catering, I appreciate the offer of a soup in addition to a salad on dinner flights. The main dish was salty and a miss. I think that there should be a wider selection of breads to accompany the appetizer and main courses. The snack before arrival is a nice touch.
20 Comments
No wonder Copa is an US subsidiary airline. Catering is so US-ish.
Thank You Adan
My understanding is that CM bought the stocks back from CO before it merged with UA. I would think that CM would have more "pull" with the airport than the vendors being the major airline there.
CM is stuck in the past. Even the club looks like ex-CO from the 90's right down to the "light" catering.
Thanks my friend.
The Lounge seems like a total fail indeed. I reckon there was an admirals club at a time in PTY, I'm not sure if it still remains.
I think that there is a lot of room for improvement with CM, especially when it comes to its club @ PTY and the catering - both the lounge and aboard. The crew that I have encountered in all my flights has ranged from OK to excellent, but always courteous.
I read from another blogger that the Admirals Club no longer exists in PTY, but the airport has failed to update the signs.
- Then where does IB send an A340's worth of J passengers?
Maybe you should remind Kevin. ;)
- Ask and you shall receive ;) He said in an email that AA did not send him to a 3rd party lounge in PTY. AA doesn't plan on doing anything until the new removal opens.
- Is this true? Where does AA send passengers? I feel like there has to be a lounge for OW since LA would have a decent presence too. Also, did they finish the construction on the lounge? Part of it was closed when I was there last time.
I told you the new cabin wasn't guaranteed ;) These old CM cabins must be brutal on a long flight like this. Do they have IFE? Or is it only overhead monitors?
The snack plate is almost the same on every flight, I find it to be really poor. The best one I had was ex-LAX when they served smoked salmon. The soup is a really nice part of the meal service, but the mains are usually pretty bad, can't recall ever getting a main I would want to eat again.
Since you were seated in the last row, did you see an erosion in FA engagement with passengers as they moved through the cabin to take orders? I always found them to be apathetic by the time they got to Row 4.
Thanks for sharing Adan, CM is what CM is. Functional and that's about it.
"Where does AA send passengers?"
- There is no lounge listed on AA's website for PTY, not even a partner one. Same for SJO.
"Also, did they finish the construction on the lounge? Part of it was closed when I was there last time."
- I did not see any construction going on and everything was open.
"Do they have IFE? Or is it only overhead monitors?"
- They have IFE. You can see the controls on some seats.
"The best one I had was ex-LAX when they served smoked salmon. The soup is a really nice part of the meal service, but the mains are usually pretty bad, can't recall ever getting a main I would want to eat again."
- Smoked salmon! that's a luxury item. ;) I agree. The mains are lackluster.
" did you see an erosion in FA engagement with passengers as they moved through the cabin to take orders?"
- Not at all. They still addressed me by name but I did not get a choice.
It would be interesting to check the new terminal in PTY when it opens, especially if there is a new club.
Thanks Michael.
- It was in the corner by the windows that over look the terminal (near the business center). My guess is that there were no improvement with all that construction.
"They have IFE. You can see the controls on some seats."
- Oh, the ones that fold out from the front? For some reason I was under the impression that they didn't have IFE since Y doesn't have IFE on those planes (you were lucky to get upgraded the one time you came across these old cabins).
"that's a luxury item. ;) "
- Compared to the "Lunchables" they normally serve, it is ;)
Definitely not the most premium catering offering at the lounge, some modifications and upgrades could help increase their lounge standard.
Absolutely wonderful spotting shots at PTY!
The cabin looks clean.
Amazing aerial shots at dusk and at night!
Thank you for sharing.
Have a good one, see you!
"Definitely not the most premium catering offering at the lounge, some modifications and upgrades could help increase their lounge standard."
- This is what happens when there is no competition.
Thank you very much for your comments. I will be flying tomorrow night SFO-LHR-ARN on BA. ;)
Sorry about the delay in my reply. I arrived ARN on 11/18 and left on 11/19 for Prague. I stayed at the Connect hotel for a quick layover. I always enjoy my time in ARN. ;) Thanks. Maybe next time I am there we can get together.
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