Panama: Metro Reopens Two Days After the Quake; Copa Extends Its Waiver to Flights Through October 14

October 11, 2026 — Panama City’s Metro resumed passenger service on Sunday morning, two days after Friday’s magnitude 7.7 earthquake, and Copa Airlines has widened its change and refund waiver to cover flights through October 14. Tocumen International Airport (PTY) is operating but still pauses briefly after aftershocks. Panama has declared a state of emergency.

This updates our October 10 story, when the Metro was shut and Copa’s waiver covered October 9 and 10 only.

What is new since Saturday

• Metro. Lines 1 and 2 reopened to passengers on Sunday, October 11, on the regular Sunday schedule, after inspections and empty test runs on Saturday, Infobae reported.
• Tocumen airport. Operating and gradually returning to normal, broadcaster Telemetro reported on Sunday morning. Operations still stop for short periods after aftershocks while runways and taxiways are checked, so delays and schedule changes continue.
• Copa waiver. For tickets issued through October 9 on flights from October 9 to October 14: a free date change with no fare difference for travel by October 31, 2026, or a travel credit, or a refund of unused tickets and remaining segments, including non-refundable fares, La Estrella de Panamá reported. Copa said it was still working to restore its schedule. Check Copa’s site for the exact terms.
• Aftershocks. The US Geological Survey lists a magnitude 6.0 aftershock late Friday night local time. A magnitude 5.0 tremor was reported near the Azuero Peninsula early Sunday.
• Casualties. Still no deaths and 27 injured.
• Damage. Counts have risen and vary by report: more than 700 homes in one Infobae report and more than 1,100 in another citing the civil protection agency, plus 419 schools. Los Santos, Herrera and Veraguas provinces are hardest hit.
• Roads. Nine bridges are damaged in Veraguas, the Pedasí–Tonosí road is closed, and five communities are cut off.
• Government. A state of emergency is in force with US$100 million set aside. Schools are closed Monday, October 12, for inspections. Some water treatment plants are running at reduced output. The Panama Canal is operating normally.

The US Embassy’s alerts page would not open, so we could not check for a newer alert.

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What it means for airline travelers

• Connecting through PTY: the hub is working but not yet on schedule. Leave long connections, list for the earliest flight, and expect tight loads while Copa rebooks displaced passengers.
• Holding a Copa ticket for travel through October 14? You can change dates or ask for a refund under the waiver. Do it before you travel, not at the gate.
• In Panama City: the Metro is running again. Water pressure may be low in places, so ask your hotel.
• Skip road trips to the Azuero Peninsula (Pedasí, Tonosí, Playa Venao) and Veraguas until roads and bridges are cleared.
• Aftershocks continue. Drop, cover and hold on, then move away from damaged buildings.
• Enroll in STEP (US) or Registration of Canadians Abroad, and keep receipts if you are delayed.

Sources

• Infobae, “Metro de Panamá reanuda operaciones tras dos días de suspensión por el terremoto de 7.5”
• Infobae, “Metro de Panamá prevé reanudar el servicio este domingo si concluyen las pruebas de seguridad”
• Telemetro, “Aeropuerto de Tocumen hoy: estado de los vuelos tras el sismo y las réplicas”
• La Estrella de Panamá, “Copa Airlines amplía cambios y reembolsos y vuelos siguen afectados”
• El País (Colombia), “Terremoto en Panamá, EN VIVO: un nuevo sismo sacudió al país en la madrugada de este domingo”
• US Geological Survey, significant earthquakes feed