Copa Airlines Reinforces Hygiene and Prevention Measures Due to the Coronavirus

Copa Airlines’ main priority is the safety and well-being of its passengers and employees, and as a result reinforces the cleaning and hygiene procedures in its aircrafts, operations and customer service contact points.

The measures implemented by Copa Airlines are those recommended by the Ministry of Health of Panama (Minsa), the World Health Organization (WHO), Disease Control and Prevention of the United States (CDC) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

1. Aircraft and counters thoroughly sanitized

• We enhanced all our surface cleaning processes at our check-in counters and onboard our aircraft, complying with the highest standards of health. This includes lavatories, service carts, tableware, tray tables, seats, windows, screens and overhead compartments, among others.
• We use disinfectants with ingredients recommended by international authorities.
• Aircraft have high-efficiency air circulation systems and air filters (HEPA), which regularly purify up to 99.7 percent of impurities in the air.
• The hygiene processes and protocols that we apply to our aircraft, customer service contact points and offices are those recommended by the national and international health and aeronautical authorities.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Because of the way air is filtered and circulates in airplanes, most viruses and other germs do not spread easily. Although the risk of contagion in aircraft is low, travelers should try to avoid contact with potentially infected passengers and wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizers that contain 60 percent to 95 percent alcohol.”

2. Crews prepared to respond to potential cases

• Constant updating of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 that are recommended by the competent authorities.
• We reinforce protocols and procedures that our crew implement if a potential case is identified on one of our flights, and we have on-board emergency equipment that can be used (including a kit with masks, additional gloves, among other materials).
• We have remote medical support during flights to provide assistance.
• In January 2020 we started a communication campaign to reinforce the measures recommended by the authorities to deal with these cases, especially for our crew and customer service personnel.
• All these measures are added to other procedures on board that are already part of our regular practices, such as not reusing glasses or cups in our cabins.

3. Buy with confidence and without penalties for changes

• We made our exchange policies more flexible, providing our passengers with more options and the confidence they need to continue traveling with Copa and, if they wish, make adjustments to their itineraries without penalties for changes when buying tickets from March 5-31, 2020.
• To learn more visit: https://www.copaair.com/en/web/us/coronavirus-measures-travel-with-confidence

Copa Airlines, as a company who prioritizes the safety of its passengers and crew, is in constant communication with national and international authorities, monitoring the evolution of the situation and ready to apply new measures that are defined or update those currently implemented.