PANAMA CITY, March 6, 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 February 2009:

    Copa Holdings (Consolidated)        February      February     Change
                                          2009          2008        (%)

     ASM (mm) (1)                         745.8         649.6      14.8%
     RPM (mm) (2)                         555.9         507.5       9.5%
     Load Factor (3)                       74.5%         78.1%     -3.6 p.p.

    Copa Airlines
     ASM (mm) (1)                          627.2         541.9     15.7%
     RPM (mm) (2)                          485.6         442.0      9.9%
     Load Factor (3)                        77.4%         81.6%    -4.1 p.p.

    Aero Republica
     ASM (mm) (1)                          118.6         107.7     10.2%
     RPM (mm) (2)                           70.3          65.5      7.3%
     Load Factor (3)                        59.3%         60.8%    -1.6 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 February 2009, Copa Holdings' system-wide passenger traffic (RPM) increased 9.5%, while capacity (ASM) increased 14.8%. System load factor for February 2009 was 74.5%, a 3.6 percentage point decrease when compared to February 2008.

Copa Airlines passenger traffic (RPM) for February 2009 increased 9.9%, while capacity (ASM) increased 15.7%. This resulted in a load factor of 77.4%, a 4.1 percentage point decrease when compared to February 2008.

Aero Republica passenger traffic (RPM) for February 2009 increased 7.3, while capacity (ASM) increased 10.2%. Load factor for the month was 59.3%, a 1.6 percentage point decrease when compared to February 2008.

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, in May 2008 Aero Republica increased international service by launching direct daily flights to Caracas, Venezuela from the cities of Bogota and Medellin.

CPA-G

SOURCE Copa Holdings, S.A.

http://www.copaair.com

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