Lufthansa Begins New Panama - Frankfurt Service

New route further raises Lufthansa’s presence and profile in Latin America; extensive codeshare agreement established with Copa Airlines

Lufthansa began its new, non-stop service between Frankfurt, Germany and Panama City, Panama. Flight LH 484 departed from Frankfurt (FRA) at 10:15 a.m. local time, and is scheduled to arrive at the Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen in Panama City (PTY) at 4:40 p.m. local time this afternoon. Eastbound flight LH 485 will leave Panama City at 6:45 p.m. local time this evening, and is due to land in Frankfurt at 11:35 a.m. local time tomorrow (March 3, 2016).  Lufthansa will be operating a five-times-weekly service on the new route all year round. 

“It’s an exciting time at Lufthansa as Panama is one of several new leisure destinations that we are adding to our growing network,” said Juergen Siebenrock, Vice President Lufthansa German Airlines, The Americas. “Passengers traveling from this new gateway will now be able to experience the quality service and premium products that Lufthansa has always been known to offer, including our brand new Premium Economy Class that offers extra space for comfort and relaxation, as well as an elevated experience.”

The Airbus A340-300, which is used on this route, is equipped with FlyNet, Lufthansa’s broadband internet access product, and offers a three-class configuration that includes 18 Business Class seats, 19 Premium Economy seats and 261 Economy Class seats, for a total of 298 seats.

Lufthansa’s new Business Class offers a unique seating arrangement in the form of a “V” that angles two neighboring seats towards one another along a central axis. This innovative solution enables Lufthansa to fulfill one of the main wishes expressed by customers during an extensive research process – to sit or lie facing the direction of travel, while at the same time virtually doubling the distance between two neighboring seats at shoulder level so Business Class passengers have greater privacy and more space. At the push of a button, the seat converts to a full-flat, horizontal sleeping surface measuring 6’6” in length. Ergonomically improved cushioning ensures a high degree of comfort in a sitting or horizontal position, and adjustable armrests provide more space in the shoulder area when lying down.

Debuting in November 2014, the Premium Economy Class is a new travel class for Lufthansa passengers to enjoy. The new class touts affordability with greater comfort, offering up to 50 percent more room, a seat pitch of 38 inches, height-adjustable head and foot rests and individual armrests. Other features surrounding the seats include a bottle holder, electrical outlet and ample storage. Premium Economy passengers also receive a baggage allowance of two items weighing up to 50 pounds each and access Lufthansa Business Class Lounges for 25 EUR. The 261 Economy Class cabin seats also feature an in-seat video screen and an optimized ergonomic seat design with a slimmer seat back that adds to more personal space per passenger.

Frankfurt – Germany’s most international city – offers a rich culture and history. With a population of about 5.6 million, the Frankfurt Rhine-Main metropolitan region is one of Europe’s leading economic centers and a popular travel destination, offering a wide range of tourist attractions and sights, including world-class ballet, opera, theatres and art exhibitions. Although only fifth in size among German cities, Frankfurt is Germany's financial powerhouse. The German Central Bank is there, as is the European Central Bank, which manages the Euro.

Through its home base at Frankfurt Airport and together with its Lufthansa Group carriers and Star Alliance partners, Lufthansa provides passengers connecting through Frankfurt with convenient access to the world’s largest airline network and more than 1,300 destinations worldwide.

Under the new codeshare agreement, Lufthansa travelers can fly with Star Alliance partner Copa Airlines from Panama City, Panama to 73 further destinations in Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru and Costa Rica – many of them bookable under Lufthansa flight numbers. In return, Copa Airlines customers gain access to the global network of the Lufthansa Group, which currently extends to 261 destinations in 101 countries.

Since both partner airlines are members of Star Alliance, their customers can also earn and redeem miles on both carriers under the ConnectMiles and Miles & More programs. As a further benefit of the new partnership, Lufthansa travelers can check their baggage right through to their final Copa Airlines destination, obtain all of their boarding passes for the trip at their first airport of departure and enjoy lounge access at Panama City Airport.

While Panama is a new addition to the Lufthansa route network, the Lufthansa Group is no stranger in this country. LSG Sky Chefs opened a new, state-of-the-art production facility at Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen in March 2014, replacing the previous facility, which had been in use since 1963. The new development is part of a broader airport expansion that has been prompted by the substantial growth in passenger numbers in the last few years.
       
LSG Sky Chefs includes hub carrier Copa Airlines, and further leading international carriers such as Air France, American Airlines, AviancaTaca, Delta, Iberia, KLM and United, among its Panama airline customers. The new facility is approximately 69,000 square feet and is twice as big as its predecessor, offering ample space for further expansion. It also incorporates the latest production equipment to optimize processes and procedures. The facility currently employs 500 personnel, who produce an average of 27,000 meals a day for approximately 200 flights.

The new service in brief

A round-trip Lufthansa flight between Panama City, Panama and Frankfurt, Germany is currently available for approximately $990. For further information and reservations visit LH.com.

Frankfurt – Panama City (Panama)
Airport/three-letter code/time zone	– Frankfurt Airport, Terminal 1 (FRA); UTC +1 hour – Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen (PTY); UTC -5 hours
Schedule (all times local summer time)	NEW from 2 March 2016 Every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday LH 484   depart Frankfurt 10:15 – arrive Panama City 16:40 LH 485   depart Panama City 18:45  – arrive Frankfurt 11:35 (next day)
Flying time (average)	11 hours 20 minutes
Flight length	9,070 km (4,897 nautical miles) / 5635.8 miles
Aircraft type	Airbus A340-300 (298 seats: 18 Business, 19 Premium Economy and 261 Economy)

About Lufthansa

One of the world's largest and most prestigious airlines, Lufthansa, serving 21 North American gateways, currently flies to 198 destinations in 77 countries. The air carrier offers hubs in Frankfurt and Munich. With the Lufthansa Group acquisition of Austrian Airlines, SWISS and a stake in Brussels Airlines, additional hubs include Vienna, Brussels, and Zurich. The entire Group flew a total of 108 million passengers in 2015 and currently serves 261 destinations in 101 countries worldwide. Lufthansa, along with its Group members and Star Alliance partners, serves over 1,300 destinations worldwide. An industry innovator, Lufthansa has long been committed to environmental care and sustainability, operating one of the most technologically-advanced and fuel-efficient fleets in the world. Its long-haul fleet to and from North America includes the Boeing 747-8 and the Airbus A380— the industries’ two most environmentally-friendly passenger aircraft. Lufthansa is the largest European operator of the A380 and was also the launch customer for the new Boeing 747-8. The Lufthansa Group currently has 259 new aircraft on order worth €35 billion in list prices, to be delivered by 2025. Known for its premium services, Lufthansa continues to build new or upgrade existing lounge facilities across its worldwide network. In 2014, Lufthansa introduced its new Premium Economy Class which offers further comfort and more personal space. Lufthansa’s entire long-haul fleet now features all new onboard products in each class– bringing Lufthansa one step closer to becoming the first five-star airline in the Western Hemisphere. Additionally, the entire Lufthansa long-haul fleet is equipped with its onboard broadband wireless Internet service, FlyNet. For more information or reservations, visit LH.com.