If you are flying between Costa Rica and Panama, expect delays and possible diversions. Panama’s Tocumen International Airport, the main hub for Copa Airlines, stopped all flights after Friday’s magnitude 7.7 earthquake. Panama’s Civil Aviation Authority said the airport reopened Friday afternoon after inspections of the runways, terminals and control tower found no damage. Delays are still likely as diverted flights and stranded passengers are worked back into schedules.
Tocumen closed both runways and evacuated passengers and office staff as a precaution after the quake struck at 11:56 a.m. Costa Rica time. Crews inspected the terminal and control tower before any flights could take off or land. The airport reported no visible structural damage and no injuries.
Some of those flights are coming here. AERIS, which operates Juan SantamarÃa International Airport in San Jose, said it expected to receive seven flights diverted from Panama. It also expects delays on flights leaving Costa Rica for Panama. Some long-haul international flights bound for Panama were also sent to San José and Bogotá.
Panama’s Civil Aviation Authority said flights bound for Panama City were diverted to Cartagena and Barranquilla in Colombia, and at least one Copa flight was sent to San José. The authority told passengers to contact their airlines for updated flight information. Check your flight status directly with your airline before you leave for the airport. Airline apps and websites update faster than airport departure boards during a disruption like this.
If you are connecting through Panama, contact your airline about rebooking now. When a hub closes, connecting itineraries break first, and seats on later flights fill quickly. If you end up delayed overnight, keep your boarding passes, receipts and any messages from the airline. You may need them for a claim with your airline or travel insurer.
Copa had not issued a statement on cancellations or rebooking as of yet. The earthquake was centered on Panama’s Azuero Peninsula and was felt across much of Costa Rica. A tsunami alert briefly included Costa Rica’s Pacific coast before the tsunami monitoring system said there was no threat.
This story will be updated as the airport and airlines release new information.
