Lufthansa to fly to Panama for the first time

Frankfurt - Lufthansa is further expanding its route network to South America.

From November 16 2015, the airline will offer year-round flights to Panama City for the first time, subject to government approval.

“For South African travellers this means departing on Lufthansa’s daily flight from Johannesburg to Frankfurt and connecting with the Airbus A340-300 that will operate five times a week between Frankfurt and the economic metropolis in Central America,” explained Axel Simon director Southern Africa for Lufthansa German Airlines and Swiss International Air Line.

The new flight takes 12 hours and 25 minutes, returning the same evening and landing at Frankfurt Airport the following morning.

“South America has become an increasingly more important trade partner for South Africa.  Panama is located between Costa Rica and Columbia and has recorded increasingly strong economic growth in recent years,” said Simon.

Besides the famous Panama Canal, it has an important banking sector, a favourable geographic location and good infrastructure, providing reasons for a business trip to the Central American country.

For leisure travellers there are beaches and a large number of national parks.

Lufthansa is also expanding its partnership with the Panamanian airline Copa. Lufthansa passengers will in future be able to reach a further 50 destinations in Central and South America and the Caribbean with the partner airline.

The most important travel destinations in Copa’s network include airports in Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala.