Passengers stranded by CAL-Jam-Cuba dispute
(CNS): A group of passengers travelling from Cuba to Grand Cayman on a Cayman Airways flight on Friday were caught up in a dispute between Jamaica, Cayman Airways and the Cuban authorities and were left stranded in Havana.
CAL officials said they were told by Jamaican immigration authorities that they could not guarantee that 86 passengers travelling from Havana to ORIA with onward Cayman Airways flights to Kingston and then to Nicaragua would be allowed to land in Jamaica, even though their tickets and itineraries were in order.
CAL said it waited for the situation to be resolved, but in the end, after a considerable delay on KX833 from Havana to Grand Cayman, the airline made the decision to leave behind the passengers impacted by the immigration issues.
But the Cuban authorities then took issue with Cayman Airways denying boarding to the 86 people that Jamaica has said it could not take. The Havana officials said they would not allow anyone to board the CAL flight unless the 86 people were also allowed to go.
But with the Cayman Airways flight crew in Havana approaching their duty time limitations, and the aircraft needed back in Grand Cayman for subsequent flights, the airline was eventually forced to cancel the Cuba flight and bring the plane back, leaving all of the passengers behind.
This had a knock-on effect on other services Friday night, and flights to Cuba remain restricted for passengers with onward connections. CAl said on Friday that those passengers with no onward travel caught up in the dispute “are being accommodated and will travel to Grand Cayman on the next available flight”.
The dispute appears to stem from the Nicaraguan government’s easing of restrictions for Cubans to travel there, offering another route to the United States for hopeful migrants. At the end of last year, Nicaragua lifted the visa requirement for Cuban nationals to promote commercial exchange, tourism and humanitarian family relations between the two countries.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Local News, Travel
It’s a MAX.I prefer Jet Blue.
It appears there are direct flights from Havana to Managua. Why is CAL involved in this roundabout bullshit?
Because Cayman can’t have people stranded or it causes issue with our system.
Mo$e$ has to fly all those shinny new Max 8s somewhere.
Those purchases will forever be the dumbest money wasting thing by any politician in Cayman ever!
Dear CAL, drop the Cuba flight all together. Avoid America accusing us of facilitating illegal immigration.
Use those new planes to find profitable routes like Panama. Oh by the way, Panama was profitable from the first quarter of flying there. But apparently, unconfirmed reports were that the then Minister pulled the plug on that route. Something to do about access to the same products at a cheaper price. Hmmmmm wonder how that threatened the oligarchs?!
That will be a way to solve it. let’s forget about thousands of Cuban-Caymanians that live here or all the work permit holders.Not important, right?
And the sex tourism. Let’s not forget about that.
Why can’t Cal do both?
Or how about flying direct to Managua Nicaragua as well?
Why is Cayman doing this? How does flying people from Cuba to Cayman to Jamaica fit in with current Government restrictions on travel to Cayman? Any thought about what the US may do regarding facilitating illegal immigration? How come Cayman Air won’t establish connections with airlines from US or Canada, but apparently sets up some kind of deal involving Cuba and Nicaragua governments? What is the governor doing beyond grinning at cameras during photo ops?
Third world all round. Is anyone surprised?
Reading between line it appears to be KX was involved in facilitating migration.
I fail to see how though, with the truth being that both CIG and KX are not responsible for other countries border and migration controls that either exist in hard copy or that crop up with no notice. Does anyone think the airline went out of its way intentionally to violate a neighbor countries border rules? The CNS article gives no indication it did, other than report the facts. I didn’t think so.
CIG though UK are party to various international agreements relating to illegal migration. Not something our elected Cayman leaders have control over.
cal incompetence and delays are never ending….avoid cal at all costs!
Like enabling corrupt Cuban exile transit to Nicaragua will help our blacklist chances. We spend millions impounding and repatriating boat migrants, when all they had to do was buy a Cayman Airways ticket. Who knew.
And we, the Cayman islands, have to foot the bill and take the losses as usual! “Jamaican immigration authorities that they could not guarantee that 86 passengers travelling from Havana to ORIA with onward Cayman Airways flights to Kingston and then to Nicaragua would be allowed to land in Jamaica, even though their tickets and itineraries were in order” WOW, JUST WOW!!!! Jamaican authorities trying to mitigate migration is a real JOKE! What if we not allow any more flights to and from Jam also?
It seems Cayman Airways might have had a real opportunity to up their game and convince those of us that don’t fly with them that they are a viable option. However this opportunity has been squandered with consistent late flights and the interior of the new 737’s (with no provision for wifi) are lamentable compared to other airlines offerings. It’s like a 1980’s time warp! The whole exercise just seems a big ego trip with taxpayers money. It will be great when we all get a choice again soon.
Years ago I worked on a restructuring assignment for a state owned airline that shall remain nameless. The CEO just about choked when the lead consultant – a man with decades of aviation experience- said in a full board meeting: “ Gentlemen, there are 3 reasons for a state owned airline. The first is guarantee of supply- but that only applies where there is no private sector supply. The second is national pride, but that’s very expensive way to buy it. And the third is the ample opportunities it provides for procurement corruption and providing insiders with free seats. And I am wondering which applies to you”. He should be invited to the next CAL board meeting, although we all know the answer, don’t we.
Why are CAL intentionally seeking to profit/contribute to an USA illegal immigration/human trafficking crisis? CAL risks losing all their USA routes. Dumb.
Anyone bothering to query how appropriate it may be for Cayman to facilitate the migrant caravans heading to the US? How is it OK for us not to give water to Cubans in rafts, all while providing jet service for their compatriots attempting exactly the same thing?
Cayman airways flights have been delayed regularly now for weeks. The Friday evening flight to miami delayed over an hour. Last night miami to Cayman flight delayed 2 hours!
Arriving at 11:56pm each time as if this is planned as to not mess up silly covid protocols. Why not telling customers the truth?
Maybe they can sort their own issues put as well!
Well a friend told me what C A L means, “can’t always leave” (or is it) ” comes always late”
Happening all over the world, chill out literally.
It’s unusual when there is no winter/hail, and brand new aircraft.
@12:01pm..so you think they are not telling the truth..What’s a good reason to lie? Did they just decide, ahh we will sit here for a few hours and tell the press a bullshit story about Jamaica/Cuba not allowing the Cubans to come, then we will fly the aircraft home empty so that we can have the night off and piss off some more people because the aircraft would be late getting back to Cayman.
BA dumped all of their passengers in Nassau last week because of one of the ground crew testing positive. He didn’t even come in contact with the passengers and they left with an empty plane leaving the passengers to wait two days on another plane to arrive..not a peep out of you on that one, but as soon as it is Cayman Airways everyone has to be a part of the piss up. Oh yeah I forgot, these same people were asking why the government didn’t send Cayman Airways to pick them up..boy, you can hear some foolishness!
You miss that point about illegal migration to US via their counties.