MADRID, Spain. – Two Air Transat flights headed for the Frank País International Airport in Holguín (Cuba) had to cancel their landings on Wednesday, April 10, due to a blackout on the runway, as reported by social media users and confirmed by the airline to Diario de Cuba.
The affected flights were TS956, coming from Toronto, and TS2674, which departed from Halifax. Both planes, an Airbus A320 and a Boeing B738, respectively, were unable to land in Holguín because the runway was not lit for night operations. They had to be diverted to Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Air Transat confirmed to the aforementioned media outlet that the flights were diverted to another airport because the Holguín runway “was not lit for landing.” The airline did not mention the cause of the blackout, but it is presumed to have been due to an electrical malfunction.
So far, the officil press has not reported the alleged electrical malfunction at the Holguín airport.
Air Transat A.T. Inc. is an airline based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, operating regular and charter flights serving 90 destinations in 25 countries. In the summer season, its main destinations are in Europe and on domestic flights within Canada. During the winter season, its destinations are in the Caribbean, Mexico, the United States, and South America. It is the designated airline to fly between Canada and Cuba.
This incident at the Holguín airport occurs in a context where Cuba remains a popular destination for Canadian tourists. In 2023, along with the United States and Russia, Canada was one of the main exporters of tourists to the Island, despite warnings from the Canadian government and difficulties in the country.
Last November, Deanna Lang, a 34-year-old tourist, sued the Sunwing agency for selling her a vacation package to the Memories Varadero Beach Resort that turned out to be a nightmare. Instead of the relaxing experience she expected with her mother and five children, Lang encountered cockroaches, dirt, lack of food and water, and thefts in her room.
Lang’s complaints to the resort staff and Sunwing were not addressed, which led her to take legal action to recover the $8,000 that the trip cost. This case is not isolated. In September, the Canadian government issued a warning to its citizens who were planning to travel to Cuba, alerting them about the scarcity of basic products, crime, and power outages. The recommendation included “taking extreme precautions” and carrying essential items, such as medications and toiletries.
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