Barbados’ quest to enhance trade and economic ties with one of the world’s leading commercial hubs Panama, could get a boost from that country’s national carrier Copa Airlines.
Since 2018, with a break during the COVID-19 pandemic, Copa has been servicing the Barbados route generally from a tourism perspective, but a representative of the airline also sees scope for trade facilitation.
Copa Airlines sales executive Aisha Lewis spoke of the potential for Barbados to benefit from Panama’s position as a trade and logistics hub, via her organisation, ahead of a October 16 to 21 trade and business mission.
The mission is being organised by the Barbados Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Panama’s investment and export promotional authority PROPANAMA, the Barbados Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Invest Barbados, Export Barbados, and the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.
‘Hub of the Americas’
Having started with one flight to Barbados in 2018, Copa Airlines now operates four flights, and Lewis said that Panama “is actually the hub of the Americas and also the connectivity point not only to Central America, South America or North America, it’s the entire world, because we have interline agreements with a number of airlines, which allows you to connect even further than the Americas”.
With officials looking to increase trade between Barbados and Panama, she said there was an opportunity for this country to utilise the cargo services Copa Airlines offers.
“Copa also offers cargo services. Our cargo services are also offered on our passenger operation. So the 85 destinations that we do service, we have the ability to provide cargo to these destinations,” she explained.
Dedicated freighter
“In terms of the amount of the capabilities for the passenger operation on the regular flight, it ranges from two tonnes to 4.5 tonnes, depending on the aircraft. We also have a dedicated freighter which carries strictly cargo. This dedicated freighter it holds up to 22 tonnes, and it operates to 11 cities as of now.”
Lewis added: “Barbados is not one that the freighter comes to at the moment, but once there is demand and so forth, it’s something that they will examine to see if there’s an opportunity to possibly do a Panama [to] Port of Spain [Trinidad and Tobago], Port of Spain
[to] Barbados [and] back to Panama. So it’s definitely something that we can keep in keep in mind.“In terms of the type of products that we can handle for our cargo, we can handle basically everything.”
“In terms of agriculture and fresh produce, that is definitely something that Copa can handle. We do handle and move fresh produce. We do agriculture, pets, valuables. We have the facility for temperature control whereby your perishable goods will be in good condition when [they] arrive,” the sales executive noted.
Lewis said that overall Copa Airlines partnership with Barbados was one that was growing.
“Our operations first commenced in 2018 where we started with two flights. It would have ceased during the pandemic and I know we have restarted operations in June of 2022 where we would have increased flights,” she said.
“We see Barbados as a very important market and as we all continue to expand, especially like this opportunity to get into Panama and the other markets, we would have worked to . . . actually increase the frequency. So we . . . [restarted] in June 2022 with two flights, then in July of 2023 we have increased to three flights, and we are continuously monitoring the growth.
“We . . . have increased to four flights, so we currently have four flights and it’s a easy two-and-a half hours to get across from Barbados to Panama, and of course onwards,” Lewis stated.
She highlighted the opportunity for Barbados to benefit from Panama’s “very strategic location”.
“We know the importance that we play in terms of connecting Barbados to Panama and beyond. And Panama is not only sea but, of course, because of the Panama Canal, you have that land and sea and air transport that makes it a very special and unique country that is able to connect us all to everywhere,” said Lewis. (SC)
