The José Martí International Airport in Havana assured on Wednesday that the repair and maintenance work on its runway and taxiways will not affect passenger or cargo flights, and announced that the work will be completed by next Monday, October 19th.
In a new statement released on its official Facebook page, the terminal reported that work is progressing according to the planned schedule and emphasized that air operations continue to be conducted normally.
"We want to reiterate that these repairs do not interfere with or affect air operations (flights). They are being carried out at the airport during the scheduled times, both for passengers and cargo," stated the airport administration.
Authorities specified that the works were previously notified to operators through aeronautical notices known as NOTAMs, which inform about temporary conditions or relevant restrictions for air navigation.
The statement represents the second public clarification of this kind in less than a month.
In mid-September, the airport had already assured that it was maintaining its regular operations, after several NOTAMs raised concerns among passengers with booked flights.
Those notices included temporary restrictions on the runway, the relocation of threshold 06 by about 1,340 meters, the partial closure of a taxiway, and the temporary deactivation of certain landing aid systems.
A night closure announced for October 19
The Cuban Air Navigation Company (ECNA) announced through NOTAM A3593/26 a temporary closure of José Martí International Airport for the night of Monday, October 19, from 7:00 p.m. to 2:40 a.m. on Tuesday, October 20, Cuban time.
The measure includes a suspension of operations at the airport for seven hours and 40 minutes. A prior notice, identified as A3592/26, had established a similar restriction for the night of October 12 to 13.
Although the airport administration assures that the runway repairs do not affect scheduled flights, the NOTAMs establish operational restrictions at specific times. The authorities have not clarified whether these nighttime closures are related to the maintenance work.
Another problem affecting aviation in Cuba adds to the runway repairs: the shortage of Jet A-1 fuel. According to the aviation alerts reviewed on October 11, ten airports in the country have reported the unavailability of this fuel until November 1, a situation that has forced several airlines to alter their operations, reduce frequencies, or make technical stops to refuel.
However, this scarcity is a different issue from the repairs of the runway at José Martí Airport and the announced nighttime closures. The lack of Jet A-1 does not, by itself, imply the closure of terminals or the suspension of all flights.
Travelers with scheduled flights, especially during the announced nighttime closure hours, should directly confirm with their airlines any possible changes to their itineraries.
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