October 11, 2026 — Copa Airlines is still working through delays and cancellations at its Panama City hub after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake on Friday, October 9. Tocumen International Airport (PTY) stops all takeoffs and landings each time a noticeable aftershock hits, and Copa has widened its travel waiver to cover trips through October 14.
What happened
The earthquake struck on October 9 with its epicenter 39 km northwest of Tonosí on Panama’s Azuero Peninsula, Infobae reported. Officials counted 27 people injured and no deaths as of Saturday. Tocumen closed that day and Copa flights were diverted to airports including Cartagena, Barranquilla, Bogotá, San José and Guayaquil.
The airport is operating again, but with interruptions. After each aftershock, crews inspect the runways, taxiways and aprons before flights resume. No structural damage has been reported. Copa says customers should expect long delays, cancellations and itinerary changes on flights to Panama and on connections through the hub. It has given no date for a return to its normal schedule.
In a statement carried by Aviacionline, Copa said the safety of its passengers and staff “continúa siendo nuestra principal prioridad.”
The waiver
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tickets covered | Issued on or before October 9, 2026 |
| Travel dates covered | October 9–14 (four days longer than first announced) |
| Changes | Any Copa route, no change fee and no fare difference |
| New travel must be completed by | October 31, 2026 |
| Other options | Travel credit, or a refund of unused tickets and unused segments, including on non-refundable fares |
| Hotels | Offered where rooms are available; Panama City hotels are nearly full |
Copa is also looking for seats on other airlines for stranded customers.
What it means for non-revs
- Expect very poor standby odds through Panama until at least October 14. Copa’s model depends on connections at Tocumen, and every cancelled bank leaves revenue passengers to rebook on later flights.
- Rebooked passengers have until October 31 to travel, so loads may stay heavier than normal for the rest of the month.
- If you are stuck mid-trip, hotel rooms in Panama City are scarce. Have a backup plan before you fly in on a pass.
- ZED and United pass riders: Copa is also buying seats on other carriers, which tightens loads on other airlines’ Panama flights too.
- Check flight status on copa.com or the Copa app before heading to the airport. An aftershock can stop departures with no warning.
Sources
- Infobae — Copa Airlines amplía cambios y reembolsos por el terremoto en Panamá y advierte de más retrasos
- Aviacionline — Copa Airlines intenta seguir normalizando sus vuelos, pero las réplicas del terremoto complican la situación
- aeroTELEGRAPH — Flughafen Panama City muss Betrieb nach weiteren Nachbeben wieder stoppen
- aeroTELEGRAPH — Erdbeben in Panama: Zahlreiche Flüge nach Kolumbien und Costa Rica umgeleitet
- La Estrella de Panamá — Conexión área tras terremoto en Panamá: Copa Airlines amplía cambios y reembolsos y vuelos siguen afectados
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