Hello to all, We will be traveling back from the US on International Flight from Dulles on the 20th. My question is; does the (2) 50lb. bag rule apply when you make the connecting flight from Tucomen to David. I have received very conflicting answers from all our contacts in Panama and have checked with Anavilma also and she said that the information she received was that you fall under South American Regulation once you land at Tucomen......accordingly from what I understand is that you are only allowed a total (2) bag weight of 32kg (about 70lb.) So if anyone can give a "straight-up" answer it would be appreciated! I just called COPA a few moments ago and they told me that if we had a connecting flight fro Tucomen to David that the bags would be transferred automatically and we would not have to handle them. No extra charges! Just curious if COPA will issue that statement to the folks using connecting flights from Tucomen to David. Would be great if Anavilma received a notation from COPA to attach to the Reservations of all the folks having her book that connecting flight. That way there should be clarity!
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I emailed a strong protest to Pedro Heilbron (Calonge), Pres of COPA, on Saturday. Saturday night he responded personally with the following:
"I have taken note of your complaint and trust me that we will solve it. As you noticed, It has not been too easy getting the authorities, in both DAV (security) and PTY (customs), to act in a consistent, rational and logic way. One day we think we have things figured out and solved, and the next day someone goes back and applies unnecessary controls. But as mentioned, we will solve it sooner rather than later."
I believe if all of us keep the pressure on the airline, needed changes will be made in these ludicrous airport security decisions.
Again, this is just ignorance/stupidity and a bit of power in the hands of those who are usually powerless. Hey, just like home!
But perhaps we can change it here if we are persistent.
The email code for all COPA employees is First initialsecondletter(not middle initial)lastname@copaair.com...
Clearly. But "security" is well insulated within both DAV and PTY, there is no way to even communicate with them, let alone effect change.
COPA, OTOH, should have some influence. If they want our business. And judging from supervisors at both the ground level at PTY and the COPA club, and various crew members on a subsequent flight they also would like to see some activity for change. Only we can provoke that, and of course, only if we care enough to say something.
What, stupidity coupled with a little power? Yes, of course but we could make it stop here. Copa wants our business. All of the senior agents we talked to were disgusted and encouraged us to complain to their top brass. Which we are doing.
I will continue taking Air Panama flights for a while.
Remember that she may need to retrieve bags and clear customs and recheck at the first US port of entry.
I was allowed two 50# luggage bags on Cops and one carry on.
My friend arrived on today aboard Copa from US to PTY (Panama City, Tocumen) to DAV (Enrique Malek, David).
They checked his bags all the way through to DAV.
So although he cleared customs in PTY, he didn't have to retrieve checked luggage, therefore only his carry on was scanned thru the visible X-ray machines on exit at Tocumen.
Who knows what happened behind the visible scene.
TSA in the US left a standard 'we searched your luggage' notice inside one of the checked bags, and some items were repackaged in a clear plastic bag wrapped with tape that says 'INSPECTED' which also appeared to be the actions of TSA.
One X-ray machine appeared to be on at DAV (as a green light on the machine was lit) in what appears to be the new customs arrival area but this area was not open nor in use yet.
Checked luggage came in on the one arrivals bag belt we are all familiar with at DAV, he retrieved it and exited just as you would if you flew Air Panama.
He did say there were dogs that sniffed everyone in both PTY and DAV.
He didn't recall the aircraft type. I'm sure there will be changes going forward as they ready the new customs area in DAV.
Just thought you all would like to know.
Not so smooth in the other direction! We flew today on the AM DAV-PTY flight. It was an Embraer 190, plenty of overhead and foot room c/w Air Panama. Having a close-in appt in the city we tried to go carryon. After confirming we didn't have liquids, explosives, etc., we were completely unpacked by agents who apparently had never seen an electric toothbrush before, thought hangers, tweezers, and insulin syringes were weapons, and ultimately they decided to gate check our bags instead of allowing us to carryon. Which COULD have been fine!
However, upon arrival, we were first off the flight and were herded into minibuses which drove BACKWARDS about a block to a receiving area next to a trash dump. There, those who had connecting flights (or claimed to and had no checked luggage) were allowed out, while all of us headed for the city (from that rogue country of Chiriqui) waited. Two agents first wanted to inspect our (already manually checked AND xrayed) cabin baggage and then we had to wait for checked luggage. For 45 minutes. Then the agents tediously inspected all of our checked luggage and tried to reinspect our cabin bags. They didn't know what they were looking for. When we asked why they were doing this again they said "because we were told to". This useless secondary (or in some cases tertiary) inspection took longer than the flight had. COPA agents were made keenly aware of the frustration of all of their new DAV pax, and of course claimed it was the fault of PTY. All in service of full Panamanian employment, I suppose. No signs of dogs, just drones.