MIAMI, United States. – Panamanian airlines Copa Airlines has canceled the sale of airline tickets from Cuba to Nicaragua, company representatives confirmed to CubaNet.
Although the cancelation had been announced days earlier on the Web Mediums platform, an officer of the airline assured Cubanet that at this time “this itinerary is not operational”.
“There are no available flights. We have presented a restriction. We are not offering that itinerary,” stated the officer.
According to Copa Airlines, the restriction is the result of action by Central American governments who wish to put a stop to the exodus of Cuban nationals through Nicaragua.”
“This restriction is presented by the governments of Central America, who do not wish to see the arrival of flights from Cuba,” he added.
Sources tapped by CubaNet from Havana state that the airline will continue to operate the Havana-Managua itinerary, with stops at the Tocumen International Airport (Panama) and the El Salvador International Airport, for those individuals who purchased airline tickets prior to the announcement of cancelation.
Ever since Nicaragua eliminated the visa requirement for residents of the island, thousands of Cubans have traveled to the Central American country as a way to reach the U.S.-Mexican border.
Although this measure was announced two months ago, it was not until January 12 that direct flights were reinstated between Cuba and Nicaragua. Flights had been suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At present, only Aruba Airlines and Conviasa make regular direct flights between Havana and Managua. The only other company that covers this itinerary is Avianca, with a stop-over at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia.
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