Continuing the trend of foreign carriers that are doing just fine despite doom and gloom in the US aviation market, Copa Airlines is adding new service to cities across South America and the Caribbean and will add six new planes to its fleet by the end of this year.

All the new routes will be out of Tocumen International Airport in Panama, the airline's long-time base, and will serve Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela. Service starts in December.

On the aircraft front, six new Boeing 737s will bring the Copa fleet up to 43 planes. The carrier also already owns more than a dozen Embraer 190s, which are about to get really popular in Brazil.

Related Stories:
· Copa Airlines Announces Expansion Plans [Official Site]
· New Routes coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: egmb757lover]]]> pbb 2008-08-07T15:45:06-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/3/20/83936/9086

Looks like David Neeleman really is up to something down in Brazil. His go-to airline manufacturer, Embraer, confirmed to the AP that the ex-JetBlue CEO is looking to buy some mid-range jets.

Neeleman isn't talking about his plans, and JetBlue insists it has nothing to do with a possible new carrier in South America. (We of course are dreaming of a collaboration with Richard Branson.)

The two major airlines in Brazil use bigger planes than the E-190s Neeleman is shopping for. But he certainly has experience with the 100-seaters his looking to buy: JetBlue flies the same planes on shorter, in-demand routes in the US.

Related Stories:
· Embraer Confirms Talks to Sell Jets [AP, via IHT]
· Neeleman's Latest Moves in Brazil [Jaunted]
· A Neeleman-Branson Airline? [Jaunted]]]> pbb 2008-03-20T09:15:01-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/