José Martí International Airport

[http://www.airportcuba.com/?Action=Airport_JM_T3 Jose Marti International Airport website] - "international terminal information."] by Canada's Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and Cuban President Fidel Castro. The new terminal with three VIP lounges provides many modern facilities and jetways that the former international terminal 1 did not provide.

In 2002, the Air Freight Logistics Enterprise (ELCA S.A.) opened Jose Marti's first freight terminal, the freight terminal is a joint venture equally shared between the Cargosur company, part of the Iberia group, and Aerovaradero S.A. of Cuba, with an investment of over $2.5 million USD. [ en icon [http://www.cubana.cu/html/ingles/cubanaCargo_e01.html Jose Marti Airport new cargo terminal] ] 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, the 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 de Aviación and 50% by Iberia Airlines, it deals with the technical maintenance of Western-built aircraft, including all Airbus and Boeing models. [ en icon [http://www.cubana.cu/html/ingles/centroMantenimiento_e01.html Ibecaaircraft technical maintenance] ] 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 Jose Marti 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. The total radarization of FIR was a prior necessary step, this will completely increase the reliability of the air traffic service that Cuba has in the whole region under its control, which is one the major air traffic volume of Latin America as most flights to/from the east coast United States to Central and South America fly over Cuba's air space, with an estimated over 450 controlled flights daily.

Facilities

Terminals

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. It is now used primarily for domestic flights.

Terminal 2 handles mainly schedule charter flights to and from Miami and New York for US residents with special permission from the United States government and Cuban citizens with US visas, the scheduled 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 1988 when the first charter flights after the revolution were opened from Miami. There are bars, bookshops, newsagentsFact|date=September 2008, 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 Chrétien 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 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.

tatistics

Passenger use and total cargo volume since 2003. [es icon [http://www.one.cu/aec2005indicec12.htm O.N.E. Oficina Nacional de Estadisticas de Cuba ] ]

Transfer Between Terminals

There is a bus service between the terminals.

Parking

The airport has short-term car parks. Terminal 3 has 750 parking spaces and Terminal 1 & 2 has 500 parking spaces each. All car parks are situated less than 150 meters from the terminals.

Airlines and destinations

Current locations

Domestic Terminal 1

* Aerogaviota (Baracoa, Cayo Largo del Sur, Cayo Santa Maria, Cayo Coco, Holguin, Nueva Gerona, Santiago de Cuba, Trinidad, 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, Cayo Largo del Sur, Holguín )

Charters Terminal 2

Scheduled charter flights
* American Airlines (Miami)
** American Eagle (Miami)
* Continental Airlines (Miami)
** Continental Connection operated by Gulfstream International Airlines (Miami)
* Sky King, Inc. (Miami, New York-JFK)

International Terminal 3

* Aeroflot (Moscow-Sheremetyevo)
* Air Canada (Toronto-Pearson)
* Air Caraibes (Fort-de-France, Pointe-à-Pitre)
* Air Comet (Madrid)
* Air Europa (Madrid)
* Air Europe (Cancun, Milan-Malpensa, Montego Bay)
* Air France (Paris-Charles de Gaulle)
* Air Jamaica (Kingston, Montego Bay)
* Bahamasair (Nassau)
* Blue Panorama (Milan-Malpensa, Rome-Fiumicino)
* Cayman Airways (Grand Cayman)
* Condor Airlines (Frankfurt)
* Copa Airlines (Panamá City)
* Corsairfly (Paris-Orly)
* Cubana de Aviación (Bogotá, Buenos Aires-Ezeiza, Cancun, Caracas, Córdoba [seasonal] , Guatemala City, London-Gatwick, Madrid, México City, Montréal, Nassau, Paris-Orly, Rosario [seasonal] , San José, Costa Rica (Suspended until further notice), Santiago de Chile [seasonal] , Santo Domingo, St. Lucia, Toronto-Pearson – "see T1 for domestic destinations")
* Iberia Airlines (Madrid)
* Interjet (Monterrey) [October 2008]
* LAN Airlines (Santiago de Chile)
* Livingston (Holguin, Milan-Malpensa)
* Martinair (Amsterdam)
* Mexicana (México City)
**Click Mexicana (Cancun)
* Neos Airlines (Milan-Malpensa)
* TACA
** Lacsa (San José (CR))
* Virgin Atlantic Airways (London-Gatwick)

Aerocaribbean Terminal 5

* Aero Caribbean ( [Caribbean, Central America and domestic charters] , Managua, Santiago de Cuba, Varadero)
* Aerotaxi (domestic flights)

Cargo airlines

* Cubana de Aviación Cargo
* DHL Aviation
* Flair Airlines
* Líneas Aéreas Suramericanas
* Aerocaribbean cargo
* IBC Airways

Accidents and incidents

*"1977 Aeroflot Ilyushin 62 crash" on May 27 killed 68 of the 70 on-board and one person on the ground. At the time the accident was the worst aviation accident in Cuba's history. It remains the second worst in Cuba's history. One of the victims was José Carlos Schwarz, a poet and musician from Guinea-Bissau.

*On September 3, 1989, a Cubana de Aviación Ilyushin 62M (CU-T1281) on a non-scheduled international passenger flight to Cologne (Cologne Bonn Airport), Germany crashed shortly after take-off. All of the 115 passengers and 11 crew members as well as 45 persons on the ground were killed and the aircraft was written off. One of the persons onboard was Roberto Volponi, son of the writer Paolo Volponi.

*On March 31 2003 a Blue Panorama Airlines Boeing 767 (EI-CXO) skidded off the main runway 6 in poor weather and gusting winds. No injuries occurred.

*On May 3, 2007, two army recruits hijacked a plane destined for Miami at José Martí International Airport in Havana. The men killed a hostage before being arrested prior to takeoff. It was the first Cuban hijacking attempt reported since the spring of 2003. [en icon [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9902E4DB113EF937A35756C0A9619C8B63 Americas: Cuba: Officer Dies In Plane Hijacking Attempt] , "The New York Times", May 4, 2007.]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.airportcuba.com/?Action=Airport_JM Jose Marti International Airport official website] (Spanish)
*WAD|MUHA
* [http://urrib2000.narod.ru/Civ7-e.html Cuban Airports]