The «Antonio Maceo Grajales» International Airport in Santiago de Cuba announced a bid for spaces in its outdoor area with the stated goal of expanding the dining options and improving services for passengers and staff at the facility.
The announcement, shared through the official airport page on Facebook and distributed by the media outlet Sierra Maestra, is open to self-employed workers (TCP), small and medium-sized enterprises (mipymes), and state entities.
Interested parties must submit their application directly to the airport address and can obtain additional information by contacting the commercial specialist at the phone numbers 22698684, 52095207, and 53685543, or via email at newton@scu.ecasa.avianet.cu.
The reaction from citizens on social media was largely skeptical. Several users questioned the viability of the business given the low air traffic: "What's the point if there are no flights?" one of them wrote emphatically.
Others focused their criticisms on price controls. "The idea is good, but if prices are determined by the cost of fuel like rental cars, passengers won't be able to afford even a snack. Please, set limits on the hiring of gastronomy services," noted a user.
Another pointed in the same direction: "Great idea, but if any bread costs up to 1,500 pesos."
The transparency of the process also generated distrust. "Now the spaces have names and surnames. I want to negotiate in Cuba, and they are making it really difficult for me," wrote one participant.
In the same vein, another internet user demanded that the list of applicants and the final selections be made public: "All the spots are already taken. This is not fair. The prices don't matter. It's the profits that matter."
There were those who, despite everything, supported the initiative with reservations: "May it lead to improvement and be gentle on prices," requested one user, while another summed up the situation with pragmatism: "It's almost better to go along with it."
This is not the first time the Santiago airport has resorted to this mechanism: in March 2023, it opened an identical tender for exterior gastronomic spaces, also aimed at TCP, mipymes, and state entities, without any clear indication of what concrete results that call produced.
The initiative falls within a broader trend of the Cuban Company of Airports and Airport Services (ECASA) to generate alternative revenue through leasing.
The Varadero airport leased its fuel tanks last June, and weeks later it rented out offices for businesses within the same premises.
The announcement comes at a critical time for Cuban aviation. Since February 10 of this year, the nine international airports in Cuba have been lacking Jet A-1 fuel, which has led to over 1,700 flight cancellations and the departure of at least 11 airlines, including Air Canada, Iberia, and Turkish Airlines.
In August 2026, Antonio Maceo airport recorded only about 67 monthly arrivals, operated by airlines such as American Airlines, Cubana, InterCaribbean Airways, and Rutaca.
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