PANAMA, May 7, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Copa Holdings, S.A. (NYSE: CPA), and its Copa Airlines and Aero Republica operating subsidiaries, today released preliminary passenger traffic statistics for April 2009:

    Copa Holdings       April         April         Change
    (Consolidated)      2009          2008           (%)
    ASM (mm) (1)        823.0         662.6         24.2%
    RPM (mm) (2)        584.5         472.5         23.7%
    Load Factor (3)     71.0%         71.3%         -0.3 p.p.
    Copa Airlines
    ASM (mm) (1)        689.3         553.4         24.6%
    RPM (mm) (2)        500.8         419.3         19.5%
    Load Factor (3)      72.7%         75.8%        -3.1 p.p.
    Aero Republica
    ASM (mm) (1)        133.7         109.2         22.4%
    RPM (mm) (2)         83.7          53.2         57.3%
    Load Factor (3)      62.5%         48.7%        13.9 p.p.

      (1.)  Available seat miles - represents the aircraft seating capacity
            multiplied by the number of miles the seats are flown.
      (2.)  Revenue passenger miles - represents the numbers of
            miles flown by revenue passengers
      (3.)  Load factor  - represents the percentage of aircraft
            seating capacity that is actually utilized

For the month of April 2009, Copa Holdings' system-wide passenger traffic (RPM) increased 23.7%, while capacity (ASM) increased 24.2%. System load factor for March 2009 was 71.0%, a 0.3 percentage point decrease when compared to April 2008.

Copa Airlines passenger traffic (RPM) for April 2009 increased 19.5%, while capacity (ASM) increased 24.6%. This resulted in a load factor of 72.7%, a 3.1 percentage point decrease when compared to April 2008.

Aero Republica passenger traffic (RPM) for April 2009 increased 57.3%, while capacity (ASM) increased 22.4%. Load factor for the month was 62.5%, a 13.9 percentage point increase when compared to April 2008. Much of the increase in passenger traffic was the result of Easter holidays falling in April this year as opposed to March last year.

Copa Holdings, through its Copa Airlines and Aero Republica operating subsidiaries, is a leading Latin American provider of passenger and cargo service. Copa Airlines currently offers approximately 144 daily scheduled flights to 45 destinations in 24 countries in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. In addition, Copa Airlines provides passengers with access to flights to more than 120 other international destinations through code share agreements with Continental Airlines and other airlines. Aero Republica, the second-largest domestic carrier in Colombia, provides service to 12 cities in Colombia as well as international connectivity with Copa Airlines' Hub of the Americas through flights from Bogota, Bucaramanga, Cali, Cartagena, Medellin and Pereira. Additionally, Aero Republica has direct daily flights to Caracas, Venezuela from the cities of Bogota and Medellin.

CPA-G

SOURCE Copa Holdings, S.A.

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