Above: a Copa plane

By the Caribbean Journal staff

There will soon be a new source market for one of the Caribbean Basin’s largest hubs, Panama.

Copa Airlines announced Thursday that it would be launching nonstop service four times a week between New Orleans, Louisiana and Panama City.

The flights will operate on June 24, 2015.

“Copa Airlines is pleased to launch the new nonstop service between Panama and New Orleans, an exciting tourist and cultural destination with strong commercial ties to Panama and a growing Hispanic and Latin American population,” said Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines. “Copa’s new flight will not only greatly enhance business and leisure travel options between Louisiana and Panama, but also will increase connectivity to more than 55 destinations throughout Latin America.”

Panama is a major gateway for the Central America and Caribbean region, particularly to destinations on the Caribbean coast of South America like Cartagena and Barranquilla.

“With this new international flight, we open the gateway to the Americas and unleash new economic opportunity for the region’s businesses and tourism industry,” Mitch Landrieu. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Copa Airlines to our great City.”