Flights to Havana

[Speedbird1]

I am surprised that I saw folks lining-up yesterday at Terminal 4 at JFK to board a flight to Havana. I thought that direct flights from the US to Cuba were banned. The flight, Skyking 6402 was departing at 1415. Has the law been eased or is this a special flight?

[T-Bird76]

No these are charter flights that have always been allowed to fly to Cuba. Delta use to operate one out of JFK and I think CO does or did out of EWR. You cannot buy a ticket on these flights. US flag carriers have never really stopped flying to Cuba. I wish we'd drop the travel ban on Havana, I'd be their in a heart beat.

[PhilDernerJr]

I wish we'd drop the travel ban on Havana, I'd be their in a heart beat.

Why do you hate America?




:wink:

[SengaB]

You can buy a ticket say from Mexico or Nassau to Cuba.
JFK to Nassau on JBU then Cubana or Bahamas Air to Havana.
But then you might get a phone call asking why you went.

I'd love on fly Cubana for the experience might not live to tell about it though. My German/Bahamian friend told me that it was a terrifying experience when he flew on Cubana to Havana.

I wanted to go to Havana to get the Cubana YAK, IL-62 and IL-18s but figured I'd keep it simple and go to Nassau for the YAK instead and cut my losses.
BTW,
I have been told that overall Cuba isn't too keen on aviation photography.

Senga

[LGA777]

Because of the huge Cuban population their, there are lots of these special flights from MIA, even AA Eagle is a big player in these. A good friend who is a UA Dispatcher, a frequent non-rev and jumpseat rider on obscure aircraft, airlines, and routes flew jumpseat a few years ago on one of his companies (United) 777's on a quick MIA-HAV-MIA roundtrip. When the 777 returned to MIA it was quickly turned around for another round-trip to HAV. This was back in the day when UA flew several MIA to South America flights that departed MIA late at night and arrived back early in the morning so for UA it was a way of making dollars from an airplane that would have been sitting idle at MIA all day anyway. I also understand at least at one time CO operated many of these charters, not sure if they still do. I can say though at US we do NOT operate any of these charters but I am sure down the road if things change and the popular Cuban resorts frequented by Europeans and even Canadians are opened up to Americans then US will be a player in regulary scheduled flights between the US and Cuba. BTW there are several Cuban airports in addition to HAV that handle mutliple wide-body charters from Europe on a daily basis.

Regards

LGA777

[mirrodie]

Don't hate America.

Just love Cubans!

Seriously, I'd be there in a heartbeat too. We have distant relatives there who my grandmother and first cousins last visited about 4 years ago. Beautiful place.

[SengaB]

I have been offered by some (Non photogs) a place to stay if I ever decide to visit Cuba for photography. I probably could legally go down there for that reaason. But I think I will wait until things clear up.

By the time Travel Restrictions would be lifted all the good CUB stuff would have been grounded and replaced :(
Senga

[Matt Molnar]

I have a couple of friends who traveled to Cuba not too long ago via one of the "alternate" routes, which included a Cubana jet of some sort (sounded like a Yak from the description). One zany detail I remember them mentioning was instead of beverages or snacks, the FA's only handed out hard candies.

[Iberia A340-600]

The direct charter flights between JFK and HAV have been going on for quite a few years. There was a brief period of time when the flights stopped but then started up again. I´ve mentioned this before once or twice but I have flown directly to HAV from JFK on one of the charter flights back in February 2002. Back then Delta was running the charter flights with 737-800 aircraft. Shortly after my return to the US, Bush ordered the flights to stop.

When I arrived into HAV there was a Continental 737 unloading from MIA and a couple of American Eagle ATR-72´s as well. There is a special terminal at HAV for the United States flights. It was very small and very croweded and immigration took over 3 hours!

[LGA777]

Just checked arrivals on flightaware, HAV is MUHA in the 4 letter world. as far as US jet flights from MIA looks like some AA 738's and mainly Sky King 737's the last few days. There is currently an AC E190 enroute from YYZ, man those planes really get around.

http://flightaware.com/live/airport/MUHA/arrivals

Cheers

LGA777