Copa Airlines CEO: Buying aircaft is 'one of the tricky things about aviation'
Copa Airlines CEO Pedro Heilbron, speaking at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit Latin America & Caribbean, stated (10-Sep-2026) buying aircraft is "one of the tricky things about aviation that very few industries have to deal with", noting the associated risk has to be well calculated. Mr Heilbron added: "We have to take the chance of ordering aircraft not knowing what the future is going to look like", noting Copa will be receiving aircraft deliveries up to 2034.
Background ✨
Copa Airlines CEO Pedro Heilbron said Boeing delivery timing uncertainty drove conservative guidance, but on-time 737 MAX deliveries supported higher capacity guidance as demand proved strong.1 He also said Copa evaluated the mix of its Apr-2026 order for 40 737 MAXs, considering MAX eight, nine and 10 variants, with options for up to 20 more.2 He said Copa expected 12 deliveries in 2027 and planned 737-700 retirements, with further lease expiries and parking flexibility in 2028.3