The issue with the air conditioning system at Terminal 3 of José Martí International Airport in Havana was partially resolved last Thursday with the activation of one of the two cooling units of the centralized air conditioning system.
Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, Minister of Transport of Cuba, reported on the social network X that with the reactivation of one of the two cooling units, "the temperature has improved in its different areas."
The head of the department clarified that it is not the solution to the problem that has been affecting passengers since last May, but touted the implementation as an "important advancement on the path to the restoration of the air conditioning system at Terminal 3 and its subsequent modernization."
Rodríguez pointed out that, although several state-owned companies participated, it was necessary to resort to the private sector, mentioning the SMEs "Fabrication Construction Maintenance and Repair CA & CM SRL," specialized in this type of work, and RECLITEC, in charge of the chemical cleaning of the condenser, among others.
The minister shared a more extensive and detailed explanation of the work carried out at the airport on Facebook.
He said that Terminal 3 requires a cooling capacity of 1,200 tons, provided by a centralized system with two chillers of 600 tons each. These units cool water to 7 °C, which is then distributed through ducts to cool the passenger areas by exchanging temperature with the air.
However, he justified the recent problems with the constant exploitation, delays in maintenance, and the poor quality of the water used.
Additionally, he emphasized that the arrival of summer worsened the situation, which motivated the decision to acquire two new chillers, although their delivery was delayed, and extensive maintenance was started on one of the existing ones.
On the other hand, it was also decided to install 12 "rooftop" air conditioning units to complement the cooling system, intended for critical areas such as the final waiting area and the luggage zone.
However, the installation became complicated due to the need to build specific bases and pipelines, which generated additional difficulties and delays in its start-up, justified Rodríguez.
During the maintenance of the first chiller, the second one failed, leaving Terminal 3 without central air conditioning, which increased the discomfort of passengers and staff. Currently, the first chiller is operating at 85% of its capacity, and efforts are being made to incorporate the second chiller and improve the cooling capacity in the coming days.
He announced that currently, a third chiller is being prepared to increase the reliability of the system, and the capital reconstruction of all equipment has been contracted as part of a gradual plan that will culminate in 2025 with the arrival of new equipment.
Finally, he pointed out that the installation of the 12 "rooftop" continues, of which six are in operation.
Recently, Cuban journalist Elizabeth Cánova recounted the various vicissitudes she experienced during her trip from Havana to Madrid, which included witnessing the fainting of Chinese tourists at Terminal 3.
Through her account on the social network Instagram, the presenter and model began by saying, "This was a video I didn't want to record, because it's kicking someone when they're down, but what a shame for Cuba."
After a brief introduction, Cánova explained that since his arrival there was no air conditioning: "Imagine with the heat in Cuba, plus the hours of waiting because the system was overwhelmed, the consequences that followed."
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