Aviation

Practice area

We offer legal advice to airlines, lessors, insurance companies, lenders, ground handling companies and aviation maintenance shops, tailoring their particular needs, for the set-up of their business and continuity of their operation.

We have a wide range of experience in matters such as:

Advice local and international airlines in their certification process before the Civil Aviation Authority to procure and update their operation permits.
Development of airport infrastructure.
Commercial transactions, such as contracts for fuel provision, maintenance contracts and catering services.
Insurance claims, including those for damages suffered by passengers and cargo, damages incurred on the ground by third parties and damages to the aircraft.
The execution and enforcement of security interests, including aircraft and engine mortgages, and other collateral.
Leasing and matters related to airline fleet management, such as subleasing contracts, interchange, charters, wet leases, amendments, novation and contract terminations.
Aircraft Registration and deregistration.
Regulatory matters before the Civil Aviation Authority, Tocumen International Airport, S.A. and other government entities.
Commercial agreements related to aircraft operation such as ground handling services.
Tax matters related to the sale, leasing and financing of aircraft.
Acquisition, sale, leasing and financing of aircraft, equipment and engines.
Passenger rights and consumer protection.
Traffic rights.
Antitrust and international trade.
Overflights, charters and technical stops permits

GALA advised Copa Holdings, S.A. and its subsidiaries on the acquisition, financing, and registration of five Boeing 737-9 aircraft under the “Japanese Operating Lease with Call Option” structure.

GALA advised Copa Holdings, S.A. on the financing, leasing, and registration of six new Boeing 737-8 aircraft, the first of this model to join the Copa Airlines fleet.

GALA provided legal advice to Copa Airlines on the repayment of secured loans used for the acquisition of four Boeing 737-800 aircraft and the release of corresponding collateral.

GALA advised Copa Holdings on the contractual and regulatory aspects of a sale to Alliance, an Australian economic group, of 14 EMB-190 aircraft, along with replacement engines and spare parts for these aircraft and engines. The transaction anticipates the delivery of the acquired assets to Alliance during the course of 2020 and early 2021. This agreement concludes Copa’s plan to sell its entire Embraer fleet, as announced in 2019.

GALA advised Copa Holdings, S.A. on the acquisition, financing, leasing, and registration of the first five (5) Boeing 737-9 (737-MAX 9) aircraft, financed under the structure of Japanese Operating Leases with Purchase Option (JOLCO), a pioneering transaction in the Panamanian and Latin American legal market.

GALA advised Copa Airlines on the financing, leasing, and registration of its current fleet, including its latest aircraft financed under the structure of Japanese Operating Leases with Purchase Option (JOLCO), pioneering transactions in the Panamanian and Latin American legal market.

Advised Servair, a subsidiary of Air France, on the establishment of an airline catering facility at Tocumen International Airport in the Republic of Panama.

GALA advised Copa Holdings, S.A. on the financing, leasing, and registration of six new Boeing 737-8 aircraft, the first of this model to join the Copa Airlines fleet.

GALA provided legal advice to Copa Airlines on the repayment of secured loans used for the acquisition of four Boeing 737-800 aircraft and the release of corresponding collateral.

Advised Servair, a subsidiary of Air France, on the establishment of an airline catering facility at Tocumen International Airport in the Republic of Panama.

Área Leader

Cristina Lewis

Partner

clewis@gala.com.pa

Partners

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Associates

Of Counsel and Consultants

Daniel Sessa