Southwest cancels flights to Cuba due to coronavirus
HAVANA, March 20th The US airline Southwest announced this Friday the cancellation of flights to/from Havana starting next Sunday, March 22, due to the worldwide spread of the new coronavirus causing the disease COVID-2019.
In addition, the airline cancelled all its flights to Aruba, Belize, Cabo San Lucas, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta (in Mexico), the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cozumel, the Dominican Republic, Montego Bay (Jamaica), Nassau (Bahamas), and Turks and Caicos.
In all cases, including Havana, the airline plans to resume its usual itinerary from May 4.
“The last flight from the United States to Havana will operate on Sunday, March 22. That same day, the last flight from Havana to the United States will operate. Our current plan is to resume normal operations on Monday, May 4,” the airline confirmed. in a statement released this week.
“As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic grows, and based on current reservation and cancellation trends, we expect revenue for the rest of March and the second quarter of 2020 to deteriorate further,” he also said. Southwest, according to El Nuevo Herald newspaper.
According to the Miami-based publication, the American Airlines company, Southwest’s main competitor in South Florida, has already cancelled 55,000 flights and halted its fleet due to the coronavirus.
However, his six daily flights between Miami and Havana were not affected.
This Friday, Southwest assured that, with the cancellation of its flights to more than a dozen destinations in the Caribbean and Central America, it was taking into account the restrictions ordered by the federal government due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Unfortunately, many of the restrictions will result in flight cancellations, and we sincerely regret any inconvenience created by trip interruptions,” the company noted.
According to the Southwest Airlines website, the company’s team will communicate directly with affected customers to report reservation change options.
“Rest assured that we will offer maximum flexibility and meet customer needs to the best of our ability,” said the airline team.
Until now, customers’ options are to change their passage up to 60 days after the date of the original flight or to have the amount paid up to one year after the time they were due to travel.
