Panama is moving towards a structural transformation of its aeronautical system with the process of redesigning the national airspace, an initiative that is entering its key stage after the participation of 11 international companies interested in developing the technical consultancy of the project.
The Civil Aeronautics Authority (AAC), together with the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), leads this process that seeks to modernize air traffic management in the Flight Information Region (FIR Panama MPZL), in response to the sustained growth of air traffic and the operational challenges of the system.
According to the official information on the process, six of the 11 participating companies advanced to the next evaluation phase, after meeting the technical requirements established in the international call. These firms come from Central America, South America and Europe, and have experience in highly complex projects in airspaces with a large volume of operations.
The project has non-refundable financing of up to $3 million, granted by CAF, and aims to strengthen the efficiency, security and operational capacity of Panamanian airspace. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to consolidate Panama as a regional air hub and respond to the exponential growth of the sector.
According to the director of the Civil Aeronautics Authority, Rafael Ernesto Bárcenas, the Panamanian air system faces growing pressure due to the increase in flights and passengers, especially at the Tocumen International Airport, the country’s main hub.
“The growth of the Panamanian air system is exponential and poses urgent challenges in terms of capacity, efficiency and infrastructure,” Bárcenas warned.
The redesign of the airspace contemplates the implementation of the concept of Performance Based Navigation (PBN), in accordance with the guidelines of Document 9992 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This approach allows flight routes to be optimized, air traffic management to be improved and operation times to be reduced.
The call, open between October and November 2025, sought to form a short list of consulting companies with technical capabilities to execute the definitive studies and designs of the airspace. The requirements demanded of participating firms included experience in similar projects in environments with high traffic density, the use of advanced simulation tools and the ability to design efficient flight procedures.
In addition, the process allows the participation of international associations or consortia, which expands the technical scope and the possibility of incorporating global best practices in the redesign of the Panamanian aeronautical system.
The call document details that the estimated period for preparing the studies is up to 30 months, which shows the complexity of the project and the need for a comprehensive analysis of the national airspace.
This redesign is part of the Sustainability Program of the Air Transport Sector of Panama (2025-2030), which identifies as priorities the expansion of operational capacity, institutional modernization and improvement of the efficiency of the airport system.
The program recognizes that the Tocumen International Airport concentrates a significant part of the country’s air operations and acts as a strategic axis of regional connectivity, representing close to 40% of international connections in the region.
In this context, the redesign of airspace not only seeks to respond to current demand, but also to anticipate future growth in air traffic, avoiding operational bottlenecks, delays and loss of connections.
The project is also articulated with other investments in airport infrastructure promoted by the AAC, such as the modernization of regional airports and the expansion of capacities in air terminals, in order to strengthen the internal and external connectivity of the country.
The current phase of the process includes the review of the terms of reference and the subsequent award of the contract to the selected company. In this context, the Civil Aeronautics Authority and CAF estimate to announce the winning company on May 5, 2026, once the evaluation period of 15 business days that began on April 15 has concluded.
Once awarded, the project will define a roadmap for the reorganization of Panamanian airspace, with a direct impact on the country’s competitiveness as a logistics and air transportation center in Latin America.
