Havana airport reopens for commercial operations

The Jose Marti international airport of Cuba's capital is resuming its commercial, regular and charter operations on Sunday under strict health protocols, to guarantee safety due to Covid-19 as travelers arrive in Cuba.

Now, the island's 10 international airports are open to welcome passengers from abroad, which is another step towards the new normality.

Just as in the rest of the terminals that have been in operation since October 15, in Havana each traveler will be given a diagnostic test (PCR) to determine if he or she is a carrier of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

Cuba is the only country that applies this procedure, Manuel Lopez, director of the Jose Marti airport said, adding that the facilities have all the conditions to comply with the protocols issued by the Cuban Institute of Civil Aeronautics.

Travelers are also checked for symptoms of the disease, temperature measurement in different moments and are given a health card, in which it is declared whether he/she was in contact with some positive case and the place of accommodation.

Likewise, other measures are implemented such as hygienization of rooms and luggage, prohibition of entrance to the facilities of the terminal to people who are not going to travel and physical distancing.

According to Lopez, means of protection for workers are available, while measures were put into place to speed up procedures.

The airport executive pointed out that Terminal Two was specially set up to attend to passengers coming from the United States, from where they currently receive the largest request for trips.