A street in Havana./ Picture: Iberia
Julio García. Madrid
On 1 June, the Spanish airline Iberia will resume its flights to Cuba, after discontinuing them almost two years ago. This initiative, favoured by the improvement of the economic situation of the company, takes places after the recent thaw of relations between the Caribbean country and the United States and the new initial contact between the leaders of both countries. The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel García Margallo, visited the island in November, in a trip that marked the change of the Spanish relations with the Cuban Government.
According to what was announced by Iberia yesterday, the route Madrid-Havana will have five weekly direct frequencies, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesday, Saturdays and Sundays. Flights, which will be operated by Airbus 330 planes, will be offered with connections with the rest of Iberia’s network (more than 80 destinations in Spain and Portugal), through Terminal 4 of the international airport Adolfo Suárez-Madrid Barajas.
This resumption of flights to Havana, which will add to those currently offered by the also Spanish company Air-Europa, will try to satisfy the demand of many national businesspeople who have interests in Cuba, especially in the hotel sector.
The improvement of the economic situation of the company allows recovering the route to Havana
Iberia’s president, Luis Gallego, expressed his satisfaction with the company going to Cuba again and explained that when flights were discontinued he committed to resume them as soon as the route was sustainable. “The time has come”, he said.
On the other hand, Iberia also announced the start of flights to Cali and Medellín, in Colombia. The route Madrid-Medellín-Cali-Madrid will be inaugurated on 3 July, with weekly flights on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. These flights will also be operated by the Airbus 330.
