The state airline Boliviana de Aviación (BoA) spent over 2.5 million dollars operating flights to Cuba and Venezuela with minimal demand, as reported last Tuesday by the Community Citizen (CC) representative Janira Román.
At a press conference, the parliamentarian questioned that, in some cases, the planes traveled almost empty, with records of up to 17 passengers, despite having a capacity for 168, local media from that Andean nation report.
“It’s a million-dollar expense with barely 60 passengers per flight on average”, Román reported, who will demand a written report from the Ministry of Public Works to clarify the profitability of the operations.
According to the report, between 2023 and 2025, BoA disbursed 2,531,320 dollars to maintain unprofitable routes, such as Cuba, with 2.1 million dollars, primarily for handling services (passenger and cargo handling).
But the deputy also made references to the route to Caracas, Venezuela, with an expense of 427,000 dollars, including ramp assistance and legal procedures.
The information is recorded in the State Contracting System (SICOES).
Román warned that, while resources were allocated to these international destinations, the local airport infrastructure remained without improvements.
A precursor that already indicated losses
In February 2025, opposition senator Centa Rek made public a report from the Ministry of Public Works that revealed losses on the Santa Cruz – Havana route during its first nine months of operation.
According to the document, 36 flights recorded an average occupancy of 60 passengers one way and 74 on the return, less than half of the capacity of the Boeing 737-800.
The operating cost during that period was 12.7 million dollars, which meant that each seat needed to cost more than 2,600 dollars to cover expenses, while the selling price ranged between 775 and 1,010 dollars.
Rek criticized that the route was established "without prior study" and with a goal "more ideological and political than economic," referring to the close relationship of the Movement for Socialism (MAS) government with the regimes of Cuba and Venezuela.
BoA inaugurated flights to Havana in October 2023 as part of President Luis Arce's agenda for “regional integration.” However, occupancy never reached levels that justified the costs, and in July 2024, the route was suspended after just nine months of operation.
BoA has suffered years of losses and allegations of mismanagement. While the government defends its foreign policy, the opposition demands audits and accountability for the use of public resources on routes that, according to data, never had sufficient demand.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Air Route Crisis to Cuba and Bolivia
Why was Boliviana de Aviación (BoA) accused of spending millions on flights to Cuba and Venezuela?
BoA was accused of spending more than 2.5 million dollars on routes to Cuba and Venezuela with minimal passenger demand, which raised concerns about the profitability of these operations. According to Deputy Janira Román, flights to Cuba and Venezuela were operated nearly empty, prompting questions about the use of public resources on unprofitable routes.
How has the low occupancy of flights affected the profitability of air operations to Cuba?
The low occupancy of flights, as evidenced on the routes of BoA and other international airlines, makes operations economically unviable. For a flight to be profitable, an occupancy rate above 80% is required, a target that has not been achieved on routes to Cuba, thus affecting their economic sustainability.
Why are international airlines canceling or reducing flights to Cuba?
International airlines are canceling or reducing flights to Cuba due to low passenger demand and the deteriorating local conditions, such as power outages, shortages, and logistical issues that impact the tourist experience. These conditions make the route to Cuba unappealing for both airlines and travelers.
What impact does the "regional integration" policy have on BoA's operations in Cuba?
The Bolivian government's "regional integration" policy under President Luis Arce led to the inauguration of flights to Cuba in October 2023. However, these operations were carried out without prior profitability studies and with a more ideological than economic objective, resulting in low occupancy rates and significant financial losses for BoA.
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