On Tuesday, Johanna Jolá Álvarez made a public appeal to the Minister of Transport of Cuba, expressing her dissatisfaction with what she considers unfair treatment of passengers purchasing tickets for domestic flights.
Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, the minister of the sector, recently announced on Facebook the partial restoration of the air conditioning system in Terminal 3 of José Martí International Airport in Havana. It was in that post where the Cuban voiced her concern in the comments section.
Jolá Álvarez explained that travelers, many of whom come from provinces and arrive at Terminal 1 in Havana after paying for expensive taxis, are informed that they will be transferred by bus instead of boarding their originally scheduled flights.
He noted that these changes are made without prior notice or explanation, and without offering any form of refund for the disruption of service.
Additionally, he pointed out that in some cases, the planes do not depart on the same day, which forces passengers to wait overnight outside the terminal with their luggage, as they are not allowed to stay inside the facility.
This situation led Jolá Álvarez to ask the Minister of Transport: “How is it possible that changes or cancellations are not communicated even though all passengers provide their phone numbers?” he questioned in his message, highlighting the lack of information given to those affected.
The Cuban also raised her concern about the lack of reimbursements for those who experience drastic changes in transportation, switching from air travel to ground transport, which impacts travelers both financially and in terms of time: “Who handles the complaints from the public, and where is the response for the affected customers?” she added.
Finally, Jolá Álvarez is confident that the minister will not overlook this matter, which has caused significant distress among passengers, and is期待ing a clear response that will guide the public on how to handle such frustrating and harmful situations.
Another internet user, named Lisbette CG, added: “Not to mention the hours and hours that people spend in uncertainty about whether the flight will take off or not, and among the passengers, a countless number of children, many of whom are babies.”
"They provide a snack after seven hours of lying around like animals, which consists of a juice and a bread roll, the same items they sell in the terminal's cafeterias," the complainant stated. "In my opinion, if they can't provide the service, they shouldn't sell tickets."
While on a trip, a Cuban noticed that, at the Havana airport, old airplanes are deteriorating outdoors due to government neglect and the harshness of the environment, as shown in a video published this Wednesday on social media.
"They're rotting there," stated a person named Joan Licourt in a video posted on Facebook.
"I set that up one day to go to Santiago de Cuba," the young man added, who reported that the aircraft, which might have been able to fly again, now show a regrettable condition.
The mobility of individuals between the various provinces of Cuba has become a significant issue, as many often turn to private transporters due to the scarcity of state options. This situation is further exacerbated by the lack of domestic flights.
In 2023, the Cuban regime announced that it would explore "the possibility of acquiring new aircraft" to revitalize its struggling sector, especially after the only state airline has gone for years without flights to major international destinations due to a lack of airplanes.
"We continue to seek alternatives for both passenger and cargo transportation," said the Minister of Transport, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, after blaming the U.S. embargo for the widespread hardship in Cuba.
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