Russian airlines to launch flights from Russia to Cuba in near future - federal air transport agency

MOSCOW. Sept 13 (Interfax) - Several Russian airlines plan to resume flights to Cuba in the near future, the press service of the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) said in a statement.

Russian airlines have suspended flights to Cuba since March 2022 owing to external restrictions. Meantime, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) at the end of August reported that major tour operators had announced resuming flights to Cuba as of October 1, particularly Nordwind airlines flights.

According to Rosaviatsia's press service, Cuba's Tourism Minister Juan Carlos Garcia Granda on September 12 discussed with Rosaviatsia head Alexander Neradko the issue of resuming air transportation between the countries during a working visit to Russia, "taking into account the current situation owing to unfriendly decisions by a number of countries regarding Russian airlines."

Neradko informed his Cuban partners that, "in order to develop tourism between the two countries, several Russian airlines are planning to resume flights to Cuba in the near future."

As noted in Rosaviatsia's message, Cuba's minister of tourism in turn welcomed the decision to resume flights. Following the meeting, the parties expressed mutual hope for the speedy resumption of air traffic and an increase in flights between the two countries.