The Colombian airline Avianca announced this Friday that it is suspending the resumption of Bogotá-Havana flights, which were scheduled to begin on July 2.
Regarding the reasons for the cancellation, Avianca limited itself to commenting that it is “due to operational issues”according to several tourist portals.
The company did not specify a new date for the return of the air route.
The airline recommends customers who had already purchased tickets request the corresponding refund through the airline’s website or mobile application or directly with the travel agencies where the tickets were purchased.
Avianca recommended that customers keep their contact information updated when booking to ensure effective communication in case of future changes or updates on the status of flights.
“This delay has created some uncertainty among passengers. The airline has not specified a new start date for this route, underscoring the importance of resolving operational issues before offering reliable service.”noted the specialized site Aviation Club Center.
After four years without operating the route that connects Havana with Bogotá, in April the Cuban Minister of Tourism, Juan Carlos García Granda, announced that Avianca would resume its flights to Cuba.
The tourism minister anticipated that the arrival of the Colombian airline was scheduled for July and that it would have four weekly frequencies.
Avianca began flying twice a week to Cuba in 2012, but in January 2020 it announced the suspension of its operations due to possible US sanctions.
Direct connectivity with South America worsens
Avianca’s announcement complicates Cuba’s air connectivity with South America, since just a few days ago Boliviana de Aviación (BoA) announced the suspension of its route between Santa Cruz de la Sierra and Havana as of July 25, 2024.
BoA operated that route for only nine months, since its launch in October 2023.
The main airline of the South American nation He did not specify the reason for the cancellation of the route.although sector analysts anticipated that this type of action usually occurs when the business is unsustainable and generates losses.
The suspension of BoA was added to the previous decision of Aerolíneas Argentinas and Cubana de Aviación to cease their operations to the island’s capital.
The tourist recovery in Cuba after the pandemic remains much slower than in other Caribbean countries.
In recent days the international consulting firm ForwardKeys reported that Cuba received 4 percent more tourists in the first half of 2024, compared to 2023, but air capacity decreased by 1 percent.
The Cuban government has been failing to fulfill its plans for the arrival of tourists to Cuba for almost five years, but it does not stop building new luxury hotels that remain empty almost all year round.
In 2023, the planned plan was to reach 3.5 million tourists, but they barely received 70 percent of the goal. This key sector for the island’s depressed economy still shows no real signs of recovery.
