Copa Airlines has taken delivery of the 100th airplane to join its fleet, a Boeing 737-800 decorated with a special decal celebrating the airline achieving this important milestone.

The airplane, leased from SMBC Aviation Capital, flew from Seattle to its Panama City home base, where it was welcomed by a special ceremony.

“We are proud to celebrate this historic achievement for our company and for the country – a result of the efforts of our more than 9,000 dedicated co-workers, and the support of our customers, suppliers, government entities and partners,” said Pedro Heilbron, chief executive, Copa Airlines.

“This aircraft symbolises our airline’s steady growth during its 68-year history, as well as the enhancement of Panama’s connectivity with the world and its reputation as a major logistics and tourism centre, all of which translate to better opportunities for development for the country and for all Panamanians.”

With this new airplane, Copa now has 77 Next-Generation 737s in its fleet.

In April, the airline signed an order for 61 737 MAX airplanes.

The 737 MAX builds on the strengths of today’s Next-Generation 737 by incorporating the latest-technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market.

Airlines operating the 737 MAX will see a 14 percent fuel-use improvement over today’s most fuel efficient single-aisle airplanes.