TUI Airlines, a leading European vacation travel company, has announced the permanent suspension of its flights to the Cuban resort town of Varadero from Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. The decision is due to the alarming lack of demand and the consequent absence of passengers filling flights to the Caribbean island. This suspension will also extend to flights from Belgium due to the decreased demand for travel to Cuba.
A spokesperson for the German group TUI (Touristik Union International) confirmed the cancellation of flights from Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam to Varadero starting mid-May, according to the site luchtvaartnieuws.nl. Affected passengers will be notified personally by TUI or through the travel agencies where they made their bookings. Additionally, they will have the option to be rebooked on other flights or receive a full refund.
This measure will also impact flights scheduled for the upcoming winter season, with no concrete plans to resume this route in the near future. The low demand for Cuba is attributed to various factors, including the country's economic crisis, political situation, and travel restrictions imposed by some nations.
Specifically, the elimination by the United States of the visa waiver for travelers who have been to Cuba has created a longer and more costly process for obtaining a visa, discouraging European tourists. This situation is negatively impacting the Cuban tourism sector, which heavily relies on foreign visitors. The cancellation of flights to Varadero adds to other similar measures TUI has taken in recent months, indicating a concerning trend for tourism in the region.
Before the coronavirus crisis, other airlines like KLM also operated flights to Cuba from Schiphol Airport, but these services have not been reinstated since then, showing a significant decrease in air connectivity with the island. For travelers from the Benelux region, Frankfurt and Paris emerge as the closest alternatives for direct flights to Cuba. However, these options involve significantly longer travel times compared to the direct flights previously offered by TUI.
Last December, TUI announced that its airline would abandon its direct service from Manchester to the Cuban resort town of Varadero next year. This service, the only direct option to Cuba from the United Kingdom, would maintain its usual winter schedule but cease operations to the island by the end of April 2024, as reported by Travel Weekly.
Impact of TUI's Flight Cancellations on Cuban Tourism
The following questions and answers provide more insight into the reasons behind TUI's decision and its implications for Cuban tourism.
Why did TUI cancel its flights to Varadero?
TUI canceled its flights to Varadero due to a significant drop in demand and the lack of passengers filling the flights to the Cuban destination.
How will affected passengers be accommodated?
Affected passengers will be notified personally by TUI or through their travel agencies. They will be offered the option to rebook on other flights or receive a full refund.
What are the main reasons for the decline in demand for travel to Cuba?
The decline in demand is attributed to Cuba's economic crisis, political situation, and travel restrictions imposed by some nations, including the elimination of the visa waiver by the United States for travelers who have been to Cuba.
What alternatives do travelers from the Benelux region have for flying to Cuba?
Travelers from the Benelux region can consider Frankfurt and Paris as the closest alternatives for direct flights to Cuba, although these options involve longer travel times compared to the previously available direct flights from TUI.