Line for check-in at Varadero

There was a further delay after the baggage conveyor system stopped working, which took some time for airport staff to resolve. Once I had finally completed check-in, I needed to use the restroom, only to be told by two airport workers stationed at the entrance that I had to pay one US dollar to access it. I found the charge rather absurd, but paid nonetheless. Unfortunately, the condition of the bathroom did little to justify the fee - it could best be described as a last resort.

Security at the airport was surprisingly efficient, taking no more than a minute or two. From there, I headed upstairs to the departure level, passed the VIP lounge, and made my way to the gate to wait for my flight. The boarding area had a handful of bars and food outlets, though none looked particularly appealing. Fortunately, I had discreetly brought along a few bread rolls from the hotel, which served as my improvised pre-flight meal.

While waiting, I took the opportunity to explore the terminal and eventually caught my first glimpse of the aircraft at the gate. The accompanying photo also gives a fairly accurate impression of the airport’s rather worn window quality.

The plane, as seen, preparing for departure.

At around 9:00pm, I checked the departure board to confirm the timing of my flight, only to find that the information displayed was remarkably incomplete and, in some cases, plainly inaccurate. To begin with, the gate information for my flight was incorrect, listing Gate 2 instead of the actual Gate 4. Adding to the confusion, a WestJet flight to Montreal, scheduled to depart before mine, was still shown as being on time, despite the aircraft not even having arrived at the gate. A quick check on Flightradar24 revealed the real situation: the flight was running approximately five hours behind schedule.

The departure board which showed inconsistent information

The terminal walls were lined with ageing advertisements promoting other Cuban destinations, which I found rather out of place for an international airport. They contributed to the worn feel of the facility and gave the impression they may have been placed to conceal the condition of the walls behind them.

The advertisements that lined the walls.

I checked Flightradar24 to see which aircraft would be operating our flight and discovered it would be Airbus A330-200 C-GUFR. The registration immediately caught my attention, as I recognised the aircraft and recalled that C-GUFR is believed to be the world’s oldest passenger-configured A330 still in active service, which was quite a surprise.

Our flight was actually ahead of schedule, with boarding beginning around 20 minutes earlier than planned. Once my boarding pass was checked and I was cleared to proceed, I made my way through the gate and took a quick photo of C-GUFR, the aircraft assigned to operate our flight.

C-GUFR, the oldest A330 in the world, which operated our flight

On the aircraft door, there was a sticker proclaiming Air Transat as the “World’s Best Leisure Airline”, certified by Skytrax. Whether that title was justified, I was about to find out for myself.

I was greeted by the cabin crew upon boarding before making my way to my seat, which I believe was 22F. One aspect that immediately caught my attention, and not in a positive way, was the aircraft’s 3-3-3 economy class configuration. I had not expected that on an A330-200 and found myself wondering how they had managed to fit nine seats across, presumably by narrowing either the aisles or the seat width.

The interior of our aircraft

Around five minutes ahead of schedule, our A330 lifted off from Varadero and began the journey to Montreal. There was little to see during the flight, both because it was nighttime and because I did not have a window seat.

The in-flight entertainment system offered a decent selection of films, although the interface itself felt dated - seemingly older than the aircraft, despite apparently being updated regularly. There were also just six games available, some of which took an unnecessarily long time to load.

Given that this was a four-hour international flight, I had expected at least a complimentary meal service, especially when compared to airlines like Air Serbia, which provide meals even on flights of around two hours. However, as is common with Air Transat and many other North American carriers, that expectation proved misplaced. About a quarter of the way into the flight, the crew came through the cabin offering drinks, and I opted for orange juice - the only complimentary item I received during the journey, served in an unbranded cup. That said, the cabin crew were professional and courteous throughout the flight.

The only free stuff you could get on board

Other than that, the flight itself was largely uneventful. We landed in Montreal at 12:05am, making us among the first arrivals into the airport on December 22, 2026. During the descent, there was a brief glimpse of Montreal’s famous Olympic Stadium, although the darkness made it difficult to see much. After disembarking at the gate, we made our way through the various arrival formalities before heading to baggage reclaim.

What happened at the carousel was particularly concerning. When my suitcase came towards me, I picked it up and immediately noticed that the lock had been tampered with and opened, suggesting that someone may have attempted to access my personal belongings. Naturally, this was quite alarming. While I cannot say with certainty where or how this occurred, it was an unsettling discovery that cast a shadow over the end of the journey.

To sum up the experience, the transfer bus was a pleasant surprise and a noticeable improvement over my previous visit, while Varadero Airport itself left a poor impression and felt in worse condition than it had two years earlier. As for the flight, it fell somewhere in the middle - neither particularly good nor especially bad, but simply functional.

That wraps up this trip report. Stay tuned, as I already have several more journeys lined up for future reports, including Belgrade - Ottawa via Paris Charles de Gaulle with Air Serbia, Air France and airBaltic, as well as a trip to Punta Cana with Air Transat, alongside other flights with carriers such as United and Air Canada. Thanks for reading - and see you on the next journey.

Cheers!