The Air China Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with registration B-1368 completed flight CA865 from Madrid to Havana on Wednesday, and the following day it operated the return flight CA866 on the Havana–Nassau–Madrid route, according to the tracking history from Flightradar24 consulted this Saturday.
Both operations were recorded as landed, confirming the successful execution of two regular rotations after a series of cancellations that occurred during the first weeks of October.
Flight CA865 departed from Madrid on Wednesday at 21:14 UTC and landed in Havana nine hours and four minutes later. The return flight, CA866, took off from Havana on Thursday, made a 50-minute stop in Nassau, Bahamas, and arrived in Madrid later that same afternoon after nearly eight hours of travel. The same aircraft had completed a similar route on October 18, also with a stop in Nassau.
These operations are different from the extraordinary flight CA590 that was arranged on October 19 to transport stranded passengers whose flights had been canceled before October 10. That special service was organized at the request of the Embassy of China in Cuba, which explained that boarding was free although the seats were limited.
The backdrop of the entire situation is the shortage of Jet A-1 aviation fuel affecting Cuba. The Cuban Air Navigation Company issued NOTAM notices declaring the unavailability of fuel at ten international airports —including Havana, Varadero, Holguín, and Santiago de Cuba— effective until November 1. This forces airlines to refuel in third countries, which is why Air China stops in Nassau on the return flights.
The Embassy of China attributed the cancellations of flights CA865 and CA866 to "technical reasons," without specifying their nature or confirming a connection to the fuel shortage that has been affecting the Island since the beginning of the year.
The cancellations in October left a trail of losses for hundreds of Cubans residing in Spain. Passengers had to purchase alternative tickets, cover accommodation costs, and wait for their luggage for up to eight days. The shipping agency D'Nodarse acknowledged having pending shipments without a delivery date, and one passenger reported that her mother had paid 1,200 euros for a ticket for October 14 that was canceled, with the only alternative being to wait up to 15 days.
The Air China route from Madrid to Havana typically operates two weekly flights—Wednesdays and Saturdays—as part of the Beijing–Madrid–Havana itinerary. The continuity of this connection is significant for the Cuban community in Spain, given that Iberia suspended its direct route on June 1 and extended the interruption until June 30, 2027. Other companies such as Air Canada, Turkish Airlines, and WestJet also exited the market this year.
The flight records do not indicate whether Air China is regularly selling new seats or if it continues to prioritize the rebooking of travelers affected by previous cancellations.
The published schedule includes departures of CA865 from Madrid on October 28 and 31, and November 4 and 7, but their inclusion in the calendar does not guarantee that all services will take place. Those with reservations should verify the status of their flight directly with the airline before heading to the airport.
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