Copa Airlines and ST Aerospace Renew Important Aircraft Maintenance Agreement
August 25 2009 - 6:11PM
PR Newswire (US)
The agreement will continue consolidating Panama as an important
aircraft repair center in Latin America PANAMA CITY, Aug. 25
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Copa Airlines, subsidiary of Copa
Holdings, S.A. (NYSE:CPA), has renewed a three-year maintenance
service agreement (MSA) with Panama Aerospace Engineering (PAE),
subsidiary of Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd. (ST Aerospace).
The agreement will cover maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO)
services for both Copa Airlines' and Aero Republica's fleet of
Boeing 737-Next Generation and Embraer-190 aircraft, which
currently consists of 54 aircraft. The agreement broadens the
services provided by PAE by including MRO services for both Copa
and Aero Republica's Embraer-190 aircraft, as a result of PAE's
certification in April 2009 to service the Embraer-190. "We are
very pleased to renew this contract with ST Aerospace," said Pedro
Heilbron, CEO of Copa Holdings. "Our collaboration has allowed us
to achieve better efficiencies in our aircraft maintenance process
by reducing aircraft maintenance time and transportation costs,
among others. This agreement will enhance Panama's positioning to
become one of the main centers of aircraft maintenance in Latin
America." For Copa Airlines this initiative represents noticeable
benefits in maintenance that range from major inspections, such as
C Checks, to manufacturer modifications and external paint, among
others. PAE makes it possible for Copa Airlines to have technical
assistance for its aircraft near its Hub of the Americas at Tocumen
International Airport. "Copa Airlines was the launch customer for
our facility in Panama three years ago, and this contract extension
shows that Copa is pleased with the support it has received and is
confident that it can rely on ST Aerospace for the maintenance of
its fleet. Today's event also attests to the strong systems and
processes in place within our global network and to the ability of
the Group to leverage on its global resources to meet the needs of
our customers," said Tay Kok Khiang, President, ST Aerospace. About
Copa Holdings, S.A. Copa Holdings, through its Copa Airlines and
Aero Republica operating subsidiaries, is a leading Latin American
provider of passenger and cargo services. Copa Airlines currently
offers approximately 144 daily scheduled flights to 45 destinations
in 24 countries in North, Central and South America and the
Caribbean. In addition, Copa Airlines provides passengers with
access to flights to more than 120 other international destinations
through code share agreements with Continental Airlines and other
airlines. Aero Republica, the second-largest domestic carrier in
Colombia, provides service to 12 cities in Colombia as well as
international connectivity with Copa Airlines' Hub of the Americas
through flights from Bogota, Bucaramanga, Cali, Cartagena, Medellin
and Pereira. Additionally, Aero Republica has direct daily flights
to Caracas, Venezuela from Cartagena and Medellin, Colombia. For
more information, visit http://www.copaair.com/. About ST Aerospace
ST Aerospace (Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd.) is the
aerospace arm of ST Engineering. Operating a global MRO network
with facilities in the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe, it is the
world's largest aircraft MRO provider with a global customer base
that includes leading airlines, airfreight and military operators.
ST Aerospace is an integrated service provider that offers a
spectrum of maintenance and engineering services that include
airframe, engine and component maintenance, repair and overhaul;
engineering design and technical services; and aviation materials
and management services, including Total Aviation Support. ST
Aerospace has global staff strength of more than 7,000 engineers
and technical specialists. Please visit http://www.staero.aero/.
CPA-G DATASOURCE: Copa Holdings, S.A. CONTACT: Patricia Roquebert,
Panama, +011-507-304-2672 Web site: http://www.copaair.com/
http://www.staero.aero/
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