Airport Codes
Total 1 airports of MPLP
Captain Ramon Xatruch Airport (IATA: PLP, ICAO:MPLP) is located in the city of La Palma, Panama.
Airport Overview
Captain Ramon Xatruch Airport(PLP) is located in La Palma, Panama, at approximately 8.4066696°N and 78.1417007°W. It is a small regional airport serving the Darién-side locality rather than a Panamanian international cargo hub. Its logistics value is therefore primarily associated with local access, urgent regional consignments, charter movements and onward coordination through larger gateways when scheduled uplift or specialist cargo handling is required. The airport record supplied for this page identifies the ICAO designator as MPLP and the local time zone as UTC−05:00. Our service team treats every shipment as subject to prior confirmation of aircraft suitability, operating status, ground handling, customs arrangements and available uplift; shippers should not assume that international cargo acceptance, bonded storage or routine freighter service is available at the airport.
| IATA / ICAO | PLP / MPLP |
|---|---|
| Airport name | Captain Ramon Xatruch Airport |
| Location | La Palma, Panama |
| Country / time zone | Panama / UTC−05:00 |
| Coordinates | 8.4066696°N, 78.1417007°W |
Key Highlights
- Regional access point in La Palma, not a substitute for Panama’s established international cargo gateways.
- Routine scheduled cargo capacity, export screening and warehouse acceptance must be confirmed shipment by shipment.
- Small-airport operations can be sensitive to aircraft type, weather, daylight restrictions, local staffing and handling availability.
- International shipments may require a road, sea, charter or connecting-airport plan before final delivery to La Palma.
- Our service team recommends pre-alerting the local handling and customs stakeholders before cargo is dispatched.
Cargo Facilities & Services
- General cargo acceptance: Availability of a dedicated cargo terminal, pallet build-up area or routine warehouse receiving window should be confirmed in writing before booking.
- Storage: Do not assume bonded, duty-free, temperature-controlled or long-dwell storage. Our team will verify the actual holding arrangement and maximum practical dwell time.
- Dangerous goods: Acceptance depends on the aircraft operator, trained personnel, packaging, labels, shipper’s declaration and applicable operator restrictions. Prior approval is essential.
- Temperature-sensitive cargo: A validated cold chain, active-container power and refrigerated storage should not be presumed. Use insulated packaging with a documented contingency plan unless facilities are confirmed.
- Special cargo: Live animals, human remains, valuables, oversized pieces and outsized equipment require separate feasibility checks, permits and handling confirmation.
- Customs interface: Import or export clearance arrangements, inspection location and release procedure must be agreed with the appointed broker and relevant Panamanian authorities before arrival.
Routes & Transit Times
- For international freight, the practical routing may involve a connection through a larger Panamanian gateway, followed by a regional air, road, sea or charter leg to La Palma.
- Carrier selection is dependent on aircraft performance, operating permissions, cargo profile, weather, local handling and confirmed uplift; our team will obtain current carrier acceptance rather than assume a regular service.
- Transit time is affected by connection availability, customs release, intermodal transfer, remote-area access and the need to consolidate or deconsolidate cargo.
- For urgent or high-value shipments, a charter or dedicated feeder solution may be evaluated, subject to aircraft availability, payload, permits and operating conditions.
Hinterland & Key Cargo
- Service area: La Palma and surrounding Darién communities, with final-mile feasibility dependent on local road, river, coastal and security conditions.
- Likely inbound demand: Essential supplies, spare parts, telecommunications equipment, construction materials and time-critical provisions may require coordinated regional delivery.
- Likely outbound demand: Local agricultural, fisheries or community-origin cargo may be suitable for air transport only when packaging, consolidation and uplift are confirmed in advance.
- Project and relief cargo: Development, infrastructure, emergency-response and public-service consignments may require charter planning, split shipments and controlled delivery documentation.
- Our service team will assess commodity, dimensions, declared value, delivery point and onward transport before recommending air freight as the primary mode.
Operations & Compliance
- Cut-off control: A published cargo cut-off should not be assumed. Obtain the confirmed acceptance time, document cut-off, tender location and contact person before cargo leaves the shipper.
- Documents: Prepare a commercial invoice, packing list, air waybill instructions, shipper and consignee tax or identification details, permits and any commodity-specific certificates required for clearance.
- Regulated cargo: Dangerous goods, batteries, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, perishables and live animals require advance classification and written acceptance under the applicable carrier and regulatory rules.
- Inspection and release: Customs or security inspection can interrupt a remote-area delivery plan. Keep cargo accessible for examination and do not schedule final-mile dispatch until release is confirmed.
Shipping Tips
- Send the commercial invoice, packing list, dimensions, gross weight, commodity description and desired delivery date to our service team before booking; include photographs for irregular or oversized pieces.
- Request a feasibility check covering aircraft type, ground handling, customs status, storage, onward transport and weather-related contingencies.
- Use robust, moisture-resistant packaging suitable for multiple handling points. Mark each piece with consignee details, total-piece count, weight and handling instructions.
- For urgent international cargo, compare direct regional uplift with routing through a larger gateway and a coordinated feeder leg; the lowest air rate may not provide the shortest end-to-end transit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Data Sources & Provenance
Airport identifiers, name, city, country, coordinates and time zone on this page are based on the supplied airport record for Captain Ramon Xatruch Airport. Operational items such as cargo acceptance, handling, customs availability, aircraft suitability, carrier schedules and cut-off times are intentionally presented as confirmation-dependent because they can change by operator and movement.
For regulatory and identifier verification, our service team consults the relevant Panamanian civil aviation authority and international aviation reference bodies, including aeronautica.gob.pa, icao.int and iata.org. These sources do not replace shipment-specific confirmation from the operating carrier, airport representative, customs broker or handling agent.