Review of Copa Airlines flight New York → Panamá City in Economy

Hello there!
This is the second report from my NY trip on October 2021. Actually, this is the third flight from the trip, but I didn’t take many pictures on the PTY-JFK flight. So, I hope you enjoy it.

Since my flight was departing JFK at 6.25, I was supposed to be at JFK at 3.25 am. Taking a taxi or an UBER was not an option, and shared shuttle service is suspended due to COVID. So, my last option was taking the subway.
At 2 am I left my hotel; I was in Columbus Circle Area. So, I took the train on Howard Beach´s direction to combine with the Air Train to JFK.

The ride was ok, it was almost empty besides a couple of homeless people and me.

At 3.30 am I got to Howard Beach station; I climbed the escalators to the supper floor to take the Air Train. At that time there were very few passengers, there were mostly airport staff and TSA officers.

Quickly I found COPA´s counters, which were already open. There was a line before the counters where the agent asked me to show my passport and my PCR test. She checked it quickly and send me to the counters.

Once there, again the agent checked my passport and my PCR test. At the time of the flight, Argentina required a PCR test taken at least 72h before the first flight on the way to the country. I had taken mine almost 70-65 hours before this flight. Since every country had its own requirements, apparently airport agents are getting crazy on this.
When the agent saw my test, she started calculating if the test´s time was correct. She made a phone call, and then she asked the agent on the next counter which gave her incorrect information. So I told her that Argentina required a test 72h prior flight. She then checked it online and said I was right. Then we laughed about this situation. She told me that many passengers to some countries like Chile weren´t allowed to board because they get the test timing wrong.

After dispatching my luggage, I proceeded to the security check point. At this time there was a change of guards, and it took a while.
I went to the departing level. Everything was closed. It was 4 am.

I found a comfortable spot near my gate.

I did a little spotting, there wasn’t much movement at that time.
There was the COPA Boeing 737-800 with Star Alliance livery I took to PTY.

There was another COPA Boeing 737, a Virgin Atlantic A350, and far away an EL AL 787.

AT 5.20 my flight´s boarding was announced. The flight was almost full.

My seat was 29A, it was ok. And it has PTVs, not like the new Boeing 737MAX.

Once boarding was finished, we took off at 6.20.

I slept most of the flight, I only woke up to eat the meal: It was the same box they offered on the last flights. There was a chicken sandwich, a cereal bar, and a drink.

I didn’t use much the PTV, mostly to watch the air show.

At 9.45 Panama time, the captain announced our descent. We could see many ships in the sea, next to the Panama Canal.

Then we flew parallel to Panama City, on the left side I could spot some parts of the Panama Canal.

We landed at 9.50, 30 minutes early. On the way to the gate, I saw the new Terminal.

We left the aircraft through jetways. I still had 4 hours to my last flight. PTY-EZE.