Copa Airlines review by Bill

Four of us boarded in SFO with the weighed, sized, approved carry-on items but when transferring in PTY to Quito, we were refused boarding. Because our carry-ons were either fragile or expensive items, gate-check was not an option. Sorry, Christmas gifts for airport workers in Panama City is not my thing. No problems boarding SFO to PTY nor on a LATER flight from PTY to UIO but in the meanwhile, we were refused boarding on our SCHEDULED PTY to UIO. At one point a manager told us that if we didn't like the carry-on rules on the Copa website, we should contact them about changing them. Seriously? The gate agent refused to follow Copa's rules then a manager, we still have questions about this guy just being a friend of the gate agent's, tells us we should contact Copa about changing their policy.... NEVER again! With the goofy stuff that goes on with air travel, this is the first time our contract was changed on the whim of a gate agent that was probably having a bad day and decided to take it out on the Gringo.... Save yourself the problems and stick with American flagged airlines to Latin America.