In From The Cold

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the body that represents the world’s airlines, was founded in Havana 70 years ago when, at the end of World War 2, 57 carriers gathered in the city’s Hotel Nacional. Today, after decades of virtual isolation a thaw in US-Cuba relations is set to bring dramatic change. TOM BALLANTYNE flew to Havana to look at what it means for the country’s aviation industry.

In recent times there has been a joke circulating around Cuba’s state-owned national airline, Cubana de Aviación (simply known as Cubana). It goes something like this: “Knock, Knock. Who’s there?” The answer: “It’s salesmen from Boeing and Airbus ready to drag Cubana out of the 1930s and into the 21st Century!” It may not be side-splittingly funny – or entirely accurate – but it contains a message of impending truth. The top brass from the world’s major plane manufacturers in Seattle and Toulouse are champing at the bit to knock down Cubana’s door.

All they are waiting for, following the hand of peace offered by President Barack Obama to his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro, is for Washington’s legislators to approve lifting of the trade embargo that since 1961 has essentially throttled Cubana’s ability to join the modern airline world. Right now, it can’t buy Boeing jets. It can’t buy Airbus aircraft either because they’ve got US-manufactured parts in them, although it does operate four A320 Family aircraft leased from a third party. Apart from that, its 20-strong fleet is Russian-made and, in truth, they are much later than 1930s models. But Cubana can’t fly them to any American destinations and US carriers can’t operate scheduled services to Cuba.