Colombian airline Avianca suspends the resumption of its flights to Cuba

The Colombian airline Avianca announced this Friday that it is suspending the resumption of flights from Bogotá to Havana, which were scheduled to start from July 2nd.

Regarding the reasons for the cancellation, Avianca limited itself to commenting that it is "due to operational issues," as reported by several travel portals.

The company did not specify a new date for the return of the air route.

The airline recommends customers who had already purchased tickets to request the corresponding refund through the airline's website or mobile application, or directly with the travel agencies where the tickets were purchased.

Avianca recommended customers to keep their contact information updated in the reservation to ensure effective communication in case of future changes or updates regarding the flight status.

This delay has generated some uncertainty among passengers. The airline has not specified a new start date for this route, underscoring the importance of resolving operational issues before offering a reliable service," noted the specialized site Aviation Club Center.

After four years without operating the route that connects Havana with Bogotá, in April the Cuban Minister of Tourism, Juan Carlos García Granda, announced that Avianca would resume its flights to Cuba.

The tourism minister anticipated that the arrival of the Colombian airline was scheduled for July and that it would have four weekly frequencies.

Avianca started flying to Cuba twice a week in 2012, but in January 2020, it announced the suspension of its operations due to possible sanctions from the United States.

Direct connectivity with South America worsens.

Avianca's announcement complicates air connectivity between Cuba and South America, as just a few days ago Boliviana de Aviación (BoA) announced the suspension of its route between Santa Cruz de la Sierra and Havana starting on July 25, 2024.

BoA operated that route for only nine months, since its launch in October 2023.

The main airline of the South American nation did not specify the reason for the cancellation of the route, although analysts in the sector anticipated that this type of actions usually occur when the business is unsustainable and generates losses.

BoA's suspension added to the previous decision of Aerolíneas Argentinas to cease its operations to the island's capital.

The recovery of tourism in Cuba after the pandemic is much slower than in other Caribbean countries.

In recent days, the international consulting firm ForwardKeys reported that Cuba received 4 percent more tourists in the first half of 2024 compared to 2023, but air capacity decreased by 1 percent.

The Cuban government has been failing to meet its plans for tourist arrivals to Cuba for almost five years, but continues to build new luxury hotels that remain empty for most of the year.

In 2023, the planned goal was to reach 3.5 million tourists, but they only managed to receive 70 percent of the target.