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Cuban Civil Aviation at the ninetyes

The fall of the Berlin wall and the opening to the turismo, provoke that the routes of Cubana change from  the ex-communist Europe, to Western Europe and Latin America

With the leasing of another DC-10-30 grow the eater capacity of the fleet.  In June Cubana begins to fly with character of charter to Bogota (Colombia), with Tu-154 and the flight to Sao Paulo (Brazil) becomes regular.  July 1 begins to fly from regular form to Cancún (Mexico) with Tu-154.  Begins the regular fly to London (England).

Fokker F-27 of Cubana substitute the  Antonov An-24 in some routes (Courtesy of  Mark Taylor)

In March, begins the regular fly to Barcelona (Spain) and May 16, is inaugurated the route Havana - Grand Caiman, with they An-24.  In July begins the regular flight to Vitoria (Spain).  August 12 is inaugurated the route Havana - Caracas (Venezuela) as charter itinerante with Yak-42.  October 9 begins the fly to Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) through Sao Paulo (Brazil), in that same month flies to Las Palms (Islands Canarias), already of regular form.  The first national flight with F-27 begin March 24 from Havana to Camagüey (Cuba), and May 1 in international routes Havana - Varadero (Cuba) - Montego Bay (Jamaica).

The new airline Aerogaviota take Yak-40 airplanes from Cubana (Courtesy of Mark Taylor)

In January, begins the regular operation to Mendoza (Argentina). In that same month begins the charter flight to Montevideo (Uruguay), and in March of the same year, it is added the flight to Buenos Aires (Argentina).  In April is incorporated to the route Havana - Buenos Aires (Argentina) the equipment DC-10 and the flight to Fort of France (Martinica) and Pointe to Pitre (Island Guadalupe) begins with regular character.  In July flies to Santiago de Compostela (Spain) and to Frankfurt (Germany) of regular form. October 26 began the second frequency to London (England) and the 31 the flights to Gattwick (London).  In November the flight to Vitoria (Spain), also, is done regular.

This ATR-42 CU-T1297 of Aerocaribbean just landing in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, inaugurating this route the Jun 25, 1999

After that the hurricanes George and Mitch desolated the region of the Caribe and Central America, the medical aid of Cuban medical brigades and aid supplies have been transported to countries as Guatemala, Haití, Honduras and Nicaragua, in the airplanes of Cubana, to comply with this humane mission.  June 25 begin the flights to City Guatemala with three weekly frequencies, with scales in Costa Rica and Belize.  The same day arrives the first flight of Aerocaribbean with ATR-42 to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, with 27 passengers.  The previous week had arrived the first flight of Cubana, in an Airbus A-320.  November 5 begin flights Havana - Geneve with DC-10.

  Economics results

Airbus A-320 EI-TLJ of Cubana landing in Toronto-Lester, Mat 5, 1999 (Courtesy of John Kelley)

At present Cubana transports the 34% of the persons that travel to Cuba and arranges a fleet of half of hundred of airships.  All the 4 airlines of the Corporación de la Aviación Civil S.A. (Corporation of the Civil Aviation INC):
 

Benefits in 1996  Benefits in 1997  Benefits in 1998

$ 26 millions $ 34,1 millions $ 70 millions

The volume of operations in 1998 are US $ 480,2 million and Cuban pesos.  Were transported 810,000 passengers by Cubana and Aerocaribbean and 759,000 passengers of Aerotaxi and Aerogaviota, for a total of 1,569,000 passengers.  Aerocaribbean transports in 1999 150,000 passengers in internal routes and 50,000 in international. 

Were increased the services of the airports of Havana, Varadero, Cayo Largo, Camaguey and Holguin.  For example, in 1998 was opened the 3th Terminal of the International Airport "José Martí", built with a cost of $ 93 million.  This terminal permits increase the volume of passengers received and the services.  Next to Varadero, both airports receive the 80% of the visitors to the country. 

In the beginnings of the XXI century, Cubana de Aviation faces the demand of the new times to offer to its clients an efficient service in correspondence with the standard of the contemporary civil aviation.  Is impossible to resume 70 years of history of this airline in some brief lines, but the intent should give an scrutinize of what represents the Company that has traveled a long road of achievements and efforts. 
orts. 
 

  Chronology of the Cuban airliners in the history