Cubana de Aviacion stops running Geneva-Havana service - Brief Article

Airline Industry Information, Jan 24, 2000

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2000 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Cubana de Aviacion has apparently terminated its service between Geneva and Havana after only two months of operation.

The stoppage is apparently due to a lack of available aircraft since the crash of a DC-10 at the Guatemala City airport on 21 December 1999, which saw the Geneva route`s DC-10 transferred to Central American services and a Russian-made Ilyushin transferred to the Geneva-Havana service.

The use of the Ilyushin aircraft is apparently unviable as it does not have the capacity to fly the route directly and must stopover in Gander, Newfoundland, which increases the flight by six hours.

At its commencement the Geneva-Havana service had been promoted as offering a quick route for travellers who were previously forced to fly through Madrid or Paris.

((Comments on this story may be sent to aii.feedback@m2.com))