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José Martí International Airport

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Jose Marti International Airport

Aeropuerto International José Martí
File:Havana airport.jpg
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorECASA
ServesHavana
LocationBoyeros, Cuba
Elevation AMSL210 ft / 64 m
Coordinates22°59′20″N 82°24′32″W / 22.98889°N 82.40889°W / 22.98889; -82.40889
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
06/24 13,123 4,000 Asphalt

José Martí International Airport (IATA: HAV, ICAO: MUHA) (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional José Martí) is located 15 km (9 mi) southwest of Havana, Cuba, and is a hub for Cubana de Aviación, Aerogaviota and Aerocaribbean. The airport lies in the municipality of Boyeros. It is named in memory of patriot and poet José Martí.

Havana airport is operated by ECASA (Empresa Cubana de Aeropuertos y Servicios Aeronauticos S.A.). José Martí airport handles flights from over 25 international airlines serving more than 60 worldwide destinations, mainly in Europe, North, Central and South America and over 3 national airlines serving 16 domestic destinations.

José Martí International Airport is Cuba's main international and domestic getaway, it serves several million passengers each year, 80% of Cuba's international passengers along with Varadero's Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport. There are currently three terminals in use at the airport plus an additional one used by Aerocaribbean, and a cargo terminal. Terminal 1 serves domestic Cubana flights. Terminal 2 serves Corsair, Miami charters, and as well New York charters. Terminal 3, the modern main terminal, serves most traffic and was built in 1998 with Canadian assistance. Terminal 5 serves Aerocaribbean and some charters. Aerovaradero is the freight terminal, main used by Cubana Cargo and Cargosur (Iberia Group). There is a bus service to transfer between the terminals.

History

File:Virgin Atlantic B-747 Havana airport.jpg
International terminal ramp
File:Havana Airport, International terminal.jpg
José Martí's International Departures terminal 3
File:Jose Marti departure area.jpg
International Departures Hall
File:Havana Airport air traffic.jpg
Virgin Atlantic, Air Europe, Mexicana and Click by Mexicana at terminal 3

The construction of José Martí airport was authorize in March 1929. In February 24, 1930 the airport officially inaugurated replacing Havana Columbia Airport. In October 30, 1930 Cubana de Aviación's (at the time CNCAC, S.A.) first ever flight Havana-Santiago de Cuba carried the mail using a Ford trimotor with stops in Santa Clara, Morón and Camaguey. In 1936 non-commercial flights to Madrid started with an Lockheed Sirius aircraft made out of wood lined with cloth, had a Pratt & Whitney Wasp 550HP engine, a cruising speed of 180 mph and no radio. The aircraft named "4th of September" was commanded by Capt. Antonio Menéndez Pélaez and was flown previously between Camaguey, Cuba and Seville, Spain. By January 1943 the airport had its first control tower and was as well the first control tower in the country. The first commercial international flight out of the airport was flown by Cubana de Aviación's DC-3 Havana-Miami. By 1950 the airport had a second route to Europe, the flight known as "The route of the stars" Havana-Rome operated by a Cubana DC-4.

In April 15, 1961 the airport was bombarded by B-26 aircrafts from the Cuban Brigade 2506, two days prior to the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, organized by the U.S. government and with the participation of the Cuban exiles.

In 1961 the relations with the United States deteriorated substantially and with the United States embargo against Cuba, airlines from the United States were no permitted to operate regularly scheduled flights to the airport. In the 1990s special charter flights were approved by the US government to operate from Miami to José Martí for Cuban citizens living in the United States that have closed relatives in Cuba. Today, various airlines operate non-stop service between Havana and Miami, including American Eagle Airlines, Gulfstream International Airlines, and several others.

Because of Cuba's relationship with the Soviet Union, the airport during the 1970s and 1980s enjoyed the presence of many Eastern Bloc airline companies, Aeroflot, Czech Airlines, Interflug, Malév Hungarian Airlines. The airport has seen its share of tragedies, as many of the older Soviet built jets that Cubana and some of the other communist airlines (such as the Soviet Union's Aeroflot and the East German Interflug) used have crashed either going from or to this airport.

Summer 2005, Virgin Atlantic Airways filled the gap long since left by its rival airline, British Airways, and started operating direct flights from London to Jose Marti, taking advantage of the passenger growth traveling to Havana. Flights between London and Havana began on July 7th, 2005. It is expected from Virgin Atlantic flights to Cuba to add some $55 million dollars to Cuba's economy, including jobs, new commerce and tourism. Today, Copa Airlines is one of the major airlines operating José Martí airport, it serves with 21 weekly flights from Panama City Tocumen International Airport. In 2007 Grupo Taca suspended its flights from San Salvador and now operates from San Jose, Costa Rica Juan Santamaría International Airport, initially with 3 weekly flights and after July 15 the flights were to be increased to daily, as well 3 weekly fights from Lima connecting in San José.

In 2002, the Air Freight Logistics Enterprise (ELCA S.A.) opened José Martí's new freight terminal, the freight terminal is a joint venture equally shared between the Cargosur company, part of the Iberia group of Spain, and Aerovaradero S.A. of Cuba, with an investment of over $2.5 million USD.[1] The goal of this enterprise, the most modern of its kind in this geographical region, is to facilitate and reduce the cost of freight transportation between Europe and the Americas, in aircraft belonging to various companies. The terminal has a 600-Ton capacity, 2,000 cubic meters of space in two refrigeration and freezing chambers alone, with humidity and gas controls.

The airport is home to IBECA. As part of Cubana's renovation strategy, it airline has sought to upgrade its technical support capabilities, and in 2005 IBECA was created. IBECA is a joint venture company 50% owned by Cubana and 50% by Iberia Airlines of Spain, it deals with the technical maintenance of Western-built aircraft, including all Airbus and Boeing models.[2] It has contracted with various airlines flying to Cuba to provide maintenance and technical support. Annually, it gives technical coverage to more than 5,000 air operations, for more than 30 different airlines, primarity from Europe and the Americas.

Presently José Martí international airport is constructing a new automated center of air traffic control which will give its service to the whole region of the FIR assigned to Cuba; for this there was a necessary previous step, the total radarization of above-mentioned FIR, all this will increase the reliability of the air traffic service that Cuba has in the whole region under its control, which is the major air traffic volume of Latin America, with more than 450 controlled flights daily.

Approximate flight times to Havana from London is 10 hours 40 minutes; from New York is 5 hours 5 minutes; from Los Angeles is 5 hours 40 minutes; from Miami is 60 minutes; from Toronto is 3 hours 40 minutes and from Sydney is 19 hours 20 minutes.

Terminal, airlines, and destinations

Terminal 1 used to be the main international and domestic terminal building in the airport prior of the opening of terminal 2, and 3 which was constructed in 1998. The terminal is located on the west side of runway 6. The terminal has a parking space for 500 vehicles. It is now used primarily for domestic flights.

Terminal 2 handles mainly schedule charter flights to/from Miami and New York for people with special permission from the United States government, the schedudule charters are operated by Gulfstream Air Charters, ABC Charters, Marazul Charters and C & T Charters. The terminal is located on the north side, just in front of runway 24 threshold. It was constructed in the 1990s when the first charter flights after the revolution were opened from Miami. Corsairfly is also present in this terminal. In 2006 C & T Charters, Inc., began non-stop charter flights between New York's JFK and Havana. There are bars, bookshops, newsagents, and a restaurant on the second floor and as well car rentals on the arrivals area.

Terminal 3 is the main international terminal, it was open in 1998 by Canada's Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Fidel Castro, it is the largest and most modern. Ticketing and departures are located on the upper level, arrivals and baggage carousels are located on the lower level. There is parking space for 750 vehicles less than 150 meters from the terminal. There are several car rentals located in the Arrivals Area, the companies represented include Cubanacar, Fenix, Rent a Car, Rex (limousines and luxury cars), Transtur, and Via Rent-a-Car. In terminal 3 all the bars and restaurants are open 24 hours. There are information desks in the Arrivals and Departure areas, a bank, post office and internet are also available in this terminal.

Terminal 5 is mainly used by Aerocaribbean, but Aerotaxi which is a Cuban based charter airline is also present. There are no hotels on site. There is a wide selection of hotels in the areas of el Vedado and La Habana Vieja, in the city center.

Domestic Terminal 1

  • Aerogaviota (Baracoa, Cayo Largo del Sur, Cayo Santa Maria, Holguin, Nueva Gerona, Santiago de Cuba, Varadero)
  • Cubana de Aviación (Baracoa, Bayamo, Camaguey, Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo del Sur, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Guantánamo, Holguín, Manzanillo, Moa, Nueva Gerona, Santa Clara, Santiago de Cuba, Varadero, Victoria de las Tunas - see T3 for international destinations)
    • Cubana de Aviación Operated by Aerocaribbean (Cayo Coco-Jardines del Rey, Holguín)

Charters Terminal 2

International Terminal 3

File:Havana Airport shops.jpg
Shopping area located inside the International Departures Hall
File:Cubana de Aviacion counters.jpg
Cubana de Aviación international flights check-in counters

Aerocaribbean Terminal 5

  • Aerocaribbean (Baracoa, Cayo Largo del Sur, Cienfuegos, George Town, Freeport, Holguin, Managua, Nassau, Santiago de Cuba, Trinidad, Varadero)
  • Aerotaxi (domestic charters)

Aerovaradero Cargo Terminal

Facts of interest

  • On December 31 1997 the Franco-British famous Concorde plane lands for the first time in Cuba. The flight, Air France London-Paris-Barbados-Havana was received in the José Martí airport by Cuban president Fidel Castro and Rogelio Acevedo, president of the IACC. Castro boarded the aircraft, greeted the passengers and crew, and examined the aircraft.
  • In July 2006, the British airline, Virgin Atlantic considered very positive the first year of operations from London Gatwick Airport to Havana Jose Marti Airport. Cubana de Aviación is the only major competitor with direct flights, having several weekly flights from the same airport (though much of the London-Havana traffic flies via Madrid or Paris). Since the airline started service on July 2005 through July 2006, it has transported more than 35,000 passengers using a Boeing 747-400 with a 75 percentage of occupation.[5]
  • Non-stop flights between New York's JFK and Havana were approved. The flights started in December, on the 24th before Christmas and the 31st before New Year's. After that, they are scheduled every two weeks. The charter company, C & T Charters Inc; says the flights will increase as demand does.[6]
  • In June 2007, Cubana de Aviación confirmed that will resume its nonstop flights between Havana and Santiago, Chile starting June, 2008 using one of the new acquired Il-96-300 aircraft.[7]

References

  1. ^ Template:En icon Jose Marti Airport new cargo terminal
  2. ^ Template:En icon Ibecaaircraft technical maintenance
  3. ^ Sunwing to begin service to Havana next season
  4. ^ Template:Sp icon Granma Línea aérea italiana inaugura ruta Milán-La Habana
  5. ^ Template:Sp icon Granma National Newspaper- Virgin Atlantic Airways considered very positive the first year of operations, London-Havana.
  6. ^ Template:En icon Inaugurated NY-Havana flight
  7. ^ Template:Sp icon Cubana de Aviación reanudará próximamente los vuelos directos entre La Habana y Santiago
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