The Cuban government is projecting a significant increase in operations at its main international airports as part of an ambitious development program that will extend until 2030, according to a source from the Ministry of Transportation (MITRANS).
The program includes the expansion and renovation of Terminal 3 at José Martí International Airport in Havana, the country's main airport.
These improvements will increase the capacity to receive passengers at that airport facility by 30%, according to the president of the Cuban Aviation Corporation (CAC), Joel Archer Santos.
In addition, the capabilities of Terminal 2 will be expanded, which is expected to ensure greater coverage for passengers and airlines in response to potential increases in operations.
Rehabilitation in regional airports
Joel Archer highlighted the rehabilitation already completed at the airports of Jardines del Rey and Cayo Largo del Sur, both located in the center of the country.
These terminals were ready for the start of the tourist season and for the International Tourism Fair in 2024, with the Cayo Largo airport practically renovated in its entirety, as noted by the official.
In the west, the Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport at the resort of Varadero was repaired last year, while work is currently underway at the eastern terminals of Camagüey and Holguín, focusing on improving air conditioning and other conditions for passengers.
Among future projects, Archer announced that investments are being evaluated for the renovation of the Santiago de Cuba airport in 2025.
Moreover, the runways of almost all the mentioned terminals, including that of Isla de la Juventud, are undergoing improvements aimed at enhancing safety in operations.
"All those airports have the safety conditions for secure operations; what we are doing is seeking the mechanisms to restore their conditions and ensure that, in specific operations or increased activities, the necessary conditions are in place to guarantee an efficient service to the airlines," concluded the official optimistically.
Decrease in flights to Cuba and a decline in tourism
Despite the announced effort to modernize Cuba's airports, in recent months the island's airports have shown significant deficiencies that impact the travelers' experience.
The José Martí International Airport, in particular, has faced criticism after being without air conditioning in Terminal 3 for two months, a situation that worsened the long waits for passengers in heat and humidity.
In 2024, Cuba faced numerous route cancellations by various international airlines, resulting in a significant decline in the island's air connectivity.
A inicios de 2024 Aerolíneas Argentinas announced the cessation de sus operaciones hacia la capital de la isla.
In mid-June, the Colombian airline Avianca announced the suspension of the resumption of flights from Bogotá to Havana, which were scheduled to start on July 2.
In June, Boliviana de Aviación (BoA) also announced the suspension of its route between Santa Cruz de la Sierra and Havana starting from July 25, 2024. This route only operated for nine months.
At the beginning of this year, the Swiss airline Edelweiss Air announced the cancellation of its flights to Cuba starting in March, which represents another blow to the island's tourism sector, already facing a significant decline in the arrival of international visitors.
Another company that withdrew from Cuba was the German airline Condor, eliminating the only direct connection to Germany.
On the other hand, a recent preliminary report published by the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) revealed striking figures about the performance of the tourism sector during 2024, solidifying a disheartening outlook for one of the country's main sources of income.
According to the released data, the number of international visitors was significantly lower than projected, showing a decline compared to previous years.
Until November 2024, the country received 2,719,259 travelers, representing 95.2% of the total recorded in the same period of 2022, which is 137,047 fewer travelers.
Of these, international visitors totaled 2,005,390, marking a decline of 92.1% compared to the previous year, which is equivalent to 172,451 fewer visitors.
Filed under:
