The cancellations of Air China flights between Madrid and Havana continue to generate outrage among Cuban passengers, who report long waits at airports, transfers to hotels, unexpected expenses, and a lack of information about when they will be able to travel.
On social media, testimonies from those affected are multiplying, with some claiming to have waited up to 17 hours for a solution, while others received cancellation notices just a few days before their departure.
"We spent 16 or 17 hours stranded there and now we have no information," reported a passenger on Facebook, describing how her group spent almost the entire day at Madrid airport before being moved to a hotel in Alicante.
According to what was explained, around 11:00 p.m. they were informed that they would be accommodated in a hotel, which they arrived at around 6:00 a.m. However, at 12:30 p.m. they were told that they had to leave their rooms to return to Madrid airport.
"They aren't telling us anything," lamented the affected individual, who also questioned the information received regarding a possible compensation of 600 euros.
The passenger stated that she received an email describing her situation as "cancellation, rebooking, and delayed arrival at the final destination," even though, according to her account, she had still not managed to travel.
A mother with a ticket costing 1,200 euros and no flight
Among the complaints is that of the Cuban Laura Díaz, who posted a video on Instagram after her mother received a cancellation notice for the flight scheduled for Wednesday, October 14.
"My mom was coming on Wednesday, a flight she booked a month and a half ago, and today they sent her an email saying that the flight has been canceled," he explained.
Díaz stated that his mother had paid 1,200 euros for a ticket that included three suitcases, but that the notification did not provide clear explanations or a phone number to call for more information.
According to his testimony, the alternative offered was to wait up to 15 days to get another flight.
"What do you mean fifteen days? I booked a flight, which I’m paying a fortune for, and I'm going to be in Cuba for a month, so I’ll lose my vacation," they questioned.
The Cuban recounted that some friends of hers had experienced a similar situation two weeks prior, when they were notified of the cancellation just one day before their trip. She stated that they had to bear the accommodation costs in Madrid on their own.
He also expressed concern for the elderly who travel from other Spanish cities to Barajas Airport, often with multiple suitcases filled with products for their families in Cuba.
"There are elderly people and families who won't check the mail because they don't even receive phone calls," he warned.
The company has also faced criticism for other service issues. In a review published on Tripadvisor, an individual identified as Cándido Arias Pompa reported that, during a family trip between Madrid and Havana, Air China left his suitcase in Spain, which incurred him expenses of 100 euros to retrieve it. He also claimed that the airline unilaterally changed the date and time of his return flight, which was initially scheduled for September 20. "At Havana airport, misinformation prevailed: no one provides logical explanations or viable solutions to the affected travelers," he lamented.
More complaints from passengers affected by the cancellations
In the Facebook group “Cubanos en Madrid”, other users have reported cancellations without clear alternatives.
A passenger who claimed to have gone to Madrid-Barajas Airport on October 11 stated that they were told the cancellations were due to the repair work on a runway at Nassau Airport in the Bahamas, where Air China has made technical stops. Although Nassau airport authorities confirmed rehabilitation work until the end of October, it has not been officially established that this is the cause of the cancellations.
According to their account, they were offered a full refund of the ticket and the possibility of claiming 600 euros in compensation, but without a specific date to travel.
Another user stated that there were numerous travelers stranded in Cuba and claimed that some even may have lost their jobs in Spain for being unable to return on the expected dates.
The agency Samy Voyages had warned on October 3 about the cancellation or modification of flight CA865, scheduled for that day, and reported that numerous passengers arrived at the airport without having received prior notification.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Cuba recently acknowledged that flights CA865 and CA866 were experiencing frequent changes and temporary cancellations due to "technical reasons."
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