The Cuban Air Navigation Company (ECNA) announced in the last few hours that the country has broken a historical record in the number of air operations in its airspace.
In 2023, more than 260,000 overflight operations were recorded, an unprecedented figure for the Caribbean region, with the exception of Mexico, points out the state TV report.
Ricardo Martínez González, director of operations at ECNA, told journalist Bernardo Espinosa that in December 2023, the figure of more than 26,000 overflight operations was reached for the first time in a single month. Since then, the daily average has remained above 800 operations, which represents a new record for the island.
Alternative routes to alleviate saturation
The increase in air traffic in the region has caused the saturation of traditional routes between Florida and the south central United States. In this context, Cuba has implemented new route variants that allow airlines to maintain their operations on time and avoid restrictions on traditional routes.
“Operators have found these new route variants that we have provided to be able to continue operating on time and to be able to continue maintaining operations and evade the restrictions that this oversaturated route is giving them,” Martínez González explained.
Air safety: a priority for Cuba
Air safety is one of the top priorities for ECNA. José Luis Castellanos López, supervisor of Havana air traffic controllers, stated that the risk of collision in Cuban airspace is “extremely low.”
“We have recognition from international organizations such as ICAO, IATA and even the United States Federal Agency for our commitment to aviation safety,” he noted.
Rates for air navigation services
Although the report does not clarify how much Cuba charges for these overflight operations, Resolution 369/2020 published in the Cuban Gazette establishes that air navigation services in Cuban airspace are billed per flight.
Rates are based on the maximum takeoff weight of the aircraft and the distance traveled within the Flight Information Region (FIR) of Havana.
Foreign entities pay for services in freely convertible currency, taking into account the current exchange rate in Cuba.
Rates table
The attached image shows the table of rates for air navigation services in Cuban airspace, including aircraft that operate in the region and land or take off at one of the Cuban airports and travel up to 500 kilometers (table 2).
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