New domestic flights: Indians create an airline in Cuba – with European crews

The Cuban government has set high goals for 2023. The island received about 3.5 million tourists last year. Experts say this is a very ambitious goal, and they may be right. 1.9 million tourists came between January and October.

To further boost tourism, the government has decided that regional airline Aerogaviota will resume flights to various domestic and Caribbean destinations. According to Cuban sources, the airline was forced to suspend its operations at the end of November 2022 due to a fuel shortage.

Start with ATR 72

Not wanting to rely on state-run domestic flights, Indian hotel group MGM Muthu is quickly setting up its own airline. The name of the new airline has already been decided: Muthu Aviation. “Muthu Airlines was established to offer domestic flights in Cuba,” Keith Campbell, president of the new company, tells the portal. Publishing.

Muthu Aviation is set to launch an ATR-72 aircraft that will be based in Havana to quickly connect destinations such as Cayo Coco, Holguin and Santa Clara to the capital. It should start as soon as all procedures with the local authorities are completed. The aircraft must be registered in Europe as a confidence-building measure for international tourists and the cabin crew must also come from Europe.

Bookable for everyone

The trips will not be exclusively available to guests of MGM Muthu hotels, but will be marketed through online booking portals and travel agencies. MGM Muthu Hotels is no stranger to Cuba. The company owns 14 tourism properties with nearly 7,000 rooms, including two luxury hotels in Santa Clara and Havana.