Trip to Remember 2011

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Copa Airlines hosts Miami’s Amigos for Kids on Viaje Inolvidable flight – the first Trip to Remember in U.S.

Approximately 100 children from Amigos For Kids took Copa's special holiday flight.
More than 1,700 children from community organizations have participated in the Viaje Inolvidable flights over the past 18 years in Panama and other Latin American countries.

Miami, Florida - December 12, 2011 -- Approximately 100 children from the Amigos For Kids organization in Miami boarded a special Copa Airlines flight - Viaje Inolvidable (Trip to Remember) - the airline's 18^th consecutive year for the holiday event and its first in the U.S.

The Miami International Airport, the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and the Miami-Dade Police Department all helped make the holiday flight possible. Some 1,700 children have participated in the flights, called Viaje Inolvidable in Latin America, which Copa has operated in Panama and several other countries in the Latin American region.

The Viaje Inolvidable/Trip to Remember began when a Copa Airlines aircraft took off from Miami International Airport for an approximately 35-minute flight to the Florida Keys. When the flight landed at the Miami airport, Santa and Mrs. Claus entertained the children at a party complete with games, gifts and refreshments donated by Copa employees, sponsors and customers. Alvin, Simon and Theodore from the upcoming film "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," also were on hand to add to the fun.

"Copa Airlines is thrilled to bring Viaje Inolvidable/Trip to Remember to the U.S. and to the Miami community for the first time, and to provide so much joy to the children involved," said Fernando Fondevila, Regional Manager, Copa Airlines, North America. "It's a real treat to see the children's excitement - many of them have never flown on an airplane. We appreciate the support and enthusiasm of Copa Airlines employees, our sponsors, and the Miami Airport authorities who have worked together to give these children a special day they will remember for the rest of their lives."

"Amigos' first event for kids was a toy drive that made specific wishes of underprivileged children come true. It's fitting that on our 20th anniversary, we are able provide children with a wish of a lifetime, to ride an airplane. Our heartfelt gratitude to Copa," said Jorge A. Plasencia, Co-founder and Chairman, Amigos For Kids.

The airline's employees and suppliers donate their time and resources for Viaje Inolvidable/Trip to Remember, which is part of Copa Airlines' Corporate Social Responsibility initiative implemented through the airline's Fundación Despega (Taking Off Foundation), which focuses on children, education and the environment.

Copa Airlines also has hosted the Viaje Inolvidable/Trip to Remember in a number of other cities in Latin America where the airline operates, including Barranquilla, Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Guatemala, El Salvador, Managua, Rio de Janeiro, Santo Domingo and San Jose.

Local sponsors for the Miami event included All For Your Fiesta, Allied Hospitality, AWA Security, Miami-Dade Aviation Department, Flying Foods, Miami Tech Maintenance RA Aviation, Servisair, White & Case and World Wide Flight Services.