NEWS FLASH
Cuba's Ambassador to Serbia, Leyde Rodriguez Hernandez, has held talks with Air Serbia’s management over the potential introduction of flights between Belgrade and Havana. Mr Rodriguez Hernandez met with Air Serbia’s CEO, Jiri Marek, as well as the airline’s General Manager for Commercial and Strategy, Boško Rupić. The diplomat was updated on the tourism market in Europe and Serbia, as well as Air Serbia’s priorities for 2023. The two sides agreed to maintain communication and establish appropriate conditions for the eventual introduction of nonstop flights between Belgrade and Havana that would be supported by local tour operators.
Last year, Air Serbia said it was close to launching flights between the two capitals, but the service did not materialise. At the time, the airline also held talks with the Cuban airport operator Ecasa. Earlier this month, Mr Marek told EX-YU Aviation News that while Air Serbia is interested in long haul leisure flights, the carrier’s core operations are its priority. “For us, leisure destinations will be more opportunistic, and by that, I mean niche destinations, not the strategic ones. We will be looking at winter leisure destinations. Obviously, we would work a lot with tour operators. In the past, we were looking at Mombasa or Zanzibar and some other options, but this will always be in synergy between us and the tour operators. The market is growing, and the leisure segment is maturing so, sooner or later, it may happen, but it is not a priority for the time being”, Mr Marek said.
Can't wait for leisure destinations
ReplyDeleteWith the number of Cubans who now work in Serbia (all of them moved from Russia to Serbia last year), these flights could actually work for a mix of tourism and economic migrants
ReplyDeleteWas surprised last week when in a Kefeterija café in Belgrade a Cuban girl was serving people.
DeleteI was served pljeskavica by a Cuban guy who spoke Russian, plus he was black. It was bizarre
DeletePuskin great-grandfather, General Abraham Petrovitch Ganniba was black nothing new.
DeleteTalked to a glovo delivery guy and he was from Cuba
DeleteWould be great to have this route for both local tourists and increasing number of Cuban citizens living in Serbia
ReplyDeleteWould BEG-MIA-HAV make actually sense?
ReplyDeleteNo way they get rights for MIA-HAV
DeleteWell, they did establish SOME diplomatic relations back when Obama was President, so maybe, somehow, there might be a way to secure the rights. Very unlikely to happen, but still
DeleteNo. But they can make it twice weekly to MIA and once weekly to HAV, with crews deadheading between the two which can reduce operational costs
DeleteAre there any flights currently between MIA and HAV?
DeleteAlso duty time will be too long with triangle flight, plus more airport and other taxes, not sure if passengers to/from Cuba are allowed to land US soil without visas and/or advanced pax info shared, so, no, I firmly believe triangle MIA/HAV is not an option
DeleteYes there are, plenty
DeleteYes there are many flights serving the expat community. Officially, no one can enter Cuba from the US for leisure purposes. If you are an American/or non Cuban citizen you must declare to US authorities what is the purpose for your visit. There are around 10 options and none are tourism. People that do go there for tourism just declare some bogus reason from the list, like helping locals. There is even an option like "spreading democracy".
DeleteLol.
DeleteThey could do belgrade - havana - cancun
DeletePolomice se pevaljke.
Deletespreading democracy hahaha love that made me laugh
DeleteLol. United Staters really live in their own little enchanted bubble.
Delete+100
DeleteYes, absolutely no way for the flight to have a stop over in the US. Cuba is still under a very tight embargo from the US, prohibiting almost everything. It is illegal for Americans to visit Cuba as normal tourists, and thereby contribute to Cuban state in any way. Obama administration had tried to somewhat loosen the embargo, allowing for the first time US airlines to establish direct flights in order to transport many Cuban immigrants living in the US, home to visit family. Before this, Cubans were only able to fly to Canada or Mexico, and from there flied to visit Cuba, without the US authorities knowing. For Americans visiting Cuba, they may do so but only under a strict list of exceptions, with the mentioned “democracy propagation” being one of the allowed reasons. If they visit Cuba, they are only allowed to stay in private homes/accomocations and not in hotels or resorts. Paying for hotel is not allowed as it is considered financing the Cuban state, and any American who were to do that is subject even to prison time when back in the US for doing that. When i flew for vacation from Canada, my biggest fear was what would happen if the plane breaks on the way there or back, and has to land in the US, what would the US authorities do to us, knowing they can criminally prosecute us even for possesing the smallest of souveniers bought in Cuba (anything made in Cuba is illegal in the US, especially the Rum and the cuban Cigars, but also anything else). When you get to Cuba, they give you a piece of paper that they stamp at the border and you keep it in your passport, knowing that if your passport is stamped with Cuban trace, you would have trouble going to the US in future. Americans needing to go to Cuba for medical reasons, were in the past flying tru Canada, but some years ago Canada has instated a requirement for anyone from the US going to Cuba tru Canada, to have to fill in special admin forms, that are later sent to the US goverment, so they can no longer secretly visit Cuba. Pushing the Cuba flight may be a risky move for Serbia. I thing though if they started it, would be good if they had 1 flight to Havana and 1 to Varadero. Strong relationship with local tour operators is a must, i think, would be also good to engage the Canadian tourist industry about their experience with Cuban tourism, as for so many years, nobody does Cuban tourism better then Canada. From June to October is stormy season in Cuba and is not good to go there. Best from December to April.
Deletethere are organized tours from Key West to Cuba every weekend, people go for fun during weekand, and come back on monday early morning..Cuban police waits for the boat on designated area, and escorts them back when its time to go back to US..everyone knowes about this, US costal guard off course, Cuban police, and noone had problems of going there so far..Many of my american friends from South Florida went on this trip
DeleteI would love the opportunity to visit Cuba every year during the harsh Serbian winter every year (not) . I hope this materializes but my significant other only has a US passport. Hopefully, she can assist me in spreading democracy in Cuba.
ReplyDeleteSave yourself the trouble and just go to the Bahamas like everyone else
DeleteI know several US citizens that went to Cuba with US passport via Canada. Cuban customs officials NEVER stamp their passports. So, I see no reason why you wouldn't go if you have the wish.
DeleteAs far as "Bahamas like everyone else", I live in Canada and went to Bahamas, Bermuda, Dominican, Mexico, St. Marten and Turks and Caicos. Each place I visited once. They are all beautiful and you won't make a mistake. To Cuba we went roughly 15-20 times, sometimes 2-3 times a year. We go because of the nice beaches and quiet vacation. From Toronto there is no other place that is closer and generally cheaper than Cuba. It's close, it's cheaper than any of these places, people are fantastic plus I feel better knowing that my money ended up going to some nice people that are genuinely going through some rough times. so, maybe it helps a bit...
@16.09
DeleteSign under every single word. Been to Cuba and will go again 😃
+1
DeleteUSA, China and being able to provide surge in capacity when needed on other routes should be first on their mind.
ReplyDeleteCharters can happen during the off season but that's hardly something the ambassador should be bothering with. Regular flights to Havana in the current economic conditions is burning money.
Please Air Serbia, make it happen. I fly every three month to Cuba. Going directly from Belgrade would be my dream.
ReplyDeleteI fly every month to Cuba so this be great for me.
DeletePerfect like Seasonal winter route
ReplyDeleteOnce they have more 330s then maybe, but JUST maybe, they will consider winter long haul charters. For now, US and China are occupying them quite nice.
ReplyDeleteThe deal is that China will occupy them more and more so there is little chance for Havana to happen
why do they need so long to get more A330s.. i dont understand.. they are a bit slow.. and over careful
Delete