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travel to barranquilla - new problems

American Airlines decision to stop flying to Barranquilla hasn't made things any easier. I've been looking at flights in November from NY, Philly and Baltimore airports, and things look grim.

Not only are prices higher, many of the flights have long (read overnight) layovers in places ranging from Miami, to Panama City Panama.

The overnighters in Panama are on COPA flights. These flights are the cheapest, but I'm leary because I don't know the city, or any hotels and I don't feel like messing with customs and immigration in two different countries.

Has anyone taken a COPA flight with an overnight flight with a layover in Panama?
Would you recommend it?
How difficult is it to find a reasonable hotel close to the airport?

By phillyguy on Aug 25, 2008, 06:49 in Friendly Talkzone.


Gator says on Aug 25, 2008, 06:56:

The Hotels near the airport or not cheap and watch the cab drivers-if you give them a $20.00 you will hear, "No tengo cambio."

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

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lpdiver says on Aug 25, 2008, 06:59:

Yeah Gator,

That change thing seems to be a country wide phenominon. That is one of my pastimes while in Colombia...ensuring that I have PLENTY of small change/bills.


ts

Remember what the monkey says, "Fuck money it's free"

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Waterdawg says on Aug 25, 2008, 08:41:

Always the problem in Panama : Distance and cost , Air Port / City .. The Cab is going to cost at least 20/25 ( one way ) and more at night if they can get away with it .. There just ain't nothing cheap in Panama any more ! .. I do like Copa Air Though .. I was going to fly Copa Bogota /Orlando , price was like six hundred something , then they were trying to add four hundred something in tax's and surcharge ???????? Bottom line : the Whole industry is killing itself ..

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guacharaca says on Aug 25, 2008, 08:41:

There is only one hotel right beside the airport (Riande Aeropuerto). There are many rooms and I Iike the place and includes a good breakfast. The price used to be $65 but is probably $80 by now. They also have a day rate to enjoy the pool and wait for your next flight.
However, check you flight cost because I think they ding you another $60 on your ticket to cover the PTY airport tax on a overnight layover. The city is too far ($22 taxi ride each way). I also stayed in the city at Hotel Montreal for about $25 on the chance you decide to stay a couple of nights to see the canal.

Colombianos: Las armas os han dado independencia, las leyes os daran libertad. (Santander)

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phillyguy says on Aug 25, 2008, 09:13:

Thanks for the input, everyone. If I have to overnight, it might be easier to just do it in miami.

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panthdave says on Aug 25, 2008, 09:35:

Phillyguy you can take Copa out of JFK or Washington....and instead of staying overnight in Panama you can catch an Aires or AeroRepublica out of Panaman..

Also the flight out of MIA is at 2PM to Barrinquilla via Avianca...You should be able to get flight into MIA from Philly before 1PM and connect on the Avianca flight....I would not pay the overnight hotel and taxi and also the time involved....

panthdave Miami

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Waterdawg says on Aug 25, 2008, 09:42:

In wish Copa would get a flight out of Charlotte NC !!!!!!!!!!!!

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cdy says on Aug 25, 2008, 10:57:

I travel to PTY all the time, at least $25 for taxi into city, hotel closest to airport is an overpriced dump, you could survive one night if you had to.
I would only stay overnight if I had time to enjoy some of PC's nightlife. Lots of good restaurants and the clubs on calle Uruguay can be very fun. However if you are not in to that sort of thing try to avoid the overnight layover.

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cdy says on Aug 25, 2008, 11:02:

Just another thought, Spirit has cheap flights out of FLL, not sure if they fly to PHL or BWI though. You could fly Southwest to FLL and then catch a Spirit flight to Cartegena and the a bus/van or rent a car to Barranquilla

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