A Cuban Mystery Part 1 Ghost flights - 1980s
Jun 22, 2023 9:07:28 GMT 1
Beemer, Samba, and 4 more like this
Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2023 9:07:28 GMT 1
The Miami -Havana Ghost Flights
Whilst researching for the book on Cubana, I was reminded of the fact that despite official denials, the US regularly operated flights to Cuba during the embargo. During this time, the US maintained a ‘Special Interests’ section in Havana, which was actually contained within the Swiss embassy. They could not of course have an embassy because no such diplomatic relations (officially) existed.
Other countries that had full diplomatic relations with Cuba, for example, the UK and Canada did have embassies in Havana. But how to get the diplomatic staff to and from the capital? Cubana’s safety record was appalling, and staff were not allowed to fly with them. There was a daily flight to Mexico, but this meant you were heading three hours in the opposite direction, combined with the hassle – even for those with diplomatic passports – of a change of flight and possibly airline, in order to arrive in the US.
In 1985, I was asked to take part in a British trade mission to Cuba, to see if there was a market for any British aircraft, primarily the 748, since all the components fitted to it were made in Britain, and thus not subject to US sanctions, on the basis that it would be useful to operate Aero Caribbean’s domestic flights. Heavy maintenance could be undertaken by Bahamasair, who already operated a fleet of 748s and were not subject to any restrictions. One evening, the embassy held a reception and during a conversation with the wife of one of the staff, she mentioned that she would be flying to Miami in the early hours of the following morning. Seeing the look of curiosity on my face, she told me that there was a ‘ghost flight’ most nights between the two cities, principally for diplomats. Thinking that she might in some way be mistaken, I enquired further. It turned out that she was quite knowledgeable about aviation matters, and even knew that she would be flying back on an Electra, since she remembered that she had flown on one on the inward journey.
The whole thing began to intrigue me, and I made some discreet enquiries. Those of us who are old enough to remember the ABC World Airways Guide will recall that every airline schedule in the world was included in the two volumes, even those in what was known at the time as the Soviet Union. This flight, however, did not appear. I asked around a few people I knew in aviation circles in Miami, but none of them admitted to knowing anything about such a flight. A few discreet enquiries in other circles confirmed that the flights did exist, and that some years earlier had been operated by an airline called Redwings, (also known as Century Airlines), based in Waterford, Missouri, who amongst other types, operated a DC-9-32, N542TX.
I spoke to a couple of people who worked in our Washington Office, and one of them knew about the flights, because he had Cuban connections and gave me a contact number in Miami. When I was next in Miami, I called the number and they said that there was a flight, but because I was a British passport holder, I could not travel on it. Only those with diplomatic or Cuban passports were allowed to book. They confirmed that the flight typically left Miami at about 0330 for the one-hour flight to Havana. I asked what type of aircraft they were using and he said that it varied. Apparently, the operation was put out to tender (as the Falklands Air Bridge was) and it depended upon which carrier won the contract.
Fast forward to 2023 and the US now operates open and direct flights to Cuba, (an initiative set up by President Obama), but general tourism to Cuba is still banned for US passport holders, unless they fulfill certain conditions. Cubana however, owing to their appalling safety record, are not allowed to fly the reciprocal operation. Following the publication of the Cubana book, I was in regular correspondence with a Cuban-American who lives in Florida and revealed that he once travelled on one of the ghost flights in the 1980s. In his case it was an unmarked 727, US registered, but he had no idea to which airline it belonged. He added that they were told to go to a specific check-in desk at the airport by number, because it would be otherwise unmarked. The check-in time was 0200. The airport was apparently otherwise deserted. After check-in, they were taken by bus to a remote part of the airport, where the aircraft was parked. The same arrangement was in place in Havana, where the flight did not appear on any of the departure boards, and was not shown above the check-in desk. Again, the aircraft was parked in a remote part of the airport, and the passengers once checked in, were transported by bus.
Whilst researching for the book on Cubana, I was reminded of the fact that despite official denials, the US regularly operated flights to Cuba during the embargo. During this time, the US maintained a ‘Special Interests’ section in Havana, which was actually contained within the Swiss embassy. They could not of course have an embassy because no such diplomatic relations (officially) existed.
Other countries that had full diplomatic relations with Cuba, for example, the UK and Canada did have embassies in Havana. But how to get the diplomatic staff to and from the capital? Cubana’s safety record was appalling, and staff were not allowed to fly with them. There was a daily flight to Mexico, but this meant you were heading three hours in the opposite direction, combined with the hassle – even for those with diplomatic passports – of a change of flight and possibly airline, in order to arrive in the US.
In 1985, I was asked to take part in a British trade mission to Cuba, to see if there was a market for any British aircraft, primarily the 748, since all the components fitted to it were made in Britain, and thus not subject to US sanctions, on the basis that it would be useful to operate Aero Caribbean’s domestic flights. Heavy maintenance could be undertaken by Bahamasair, who already operated a fleet of 748s and were not subject to any restrictions. One evening, the embassy held a reception and during a conversation with the wife of one of the staff, she mentioned that she would be flying to Miami in the early hours of the following morning. Seeing the look of curiosity on my face, she told me that there was a ‘ghost flight’ most nights between the two cities, principally for diplomats. Thinking that she might in some way be mistaken, I enquired further. It turned out that she was quite knowledgeable about aviation matters, and even knew that she would be flying back on an Electra, since she remembered that she had flown on one on the inward journey.
The whole thing began to intrigue me, and I made some discreet enquiries. Those of us who are old enough to remember the ABC World Airways Guide will recall that every airline schedule in the world was included in the two volumes, even those in what was known at the time as the Soviet Union. This flight, however, did not appear. I asked around a few people I knew in aviation circles in Miami, but none of them admitted to knowing anything about such a flight. A few discreet enquiries in other circles confirmed that the flights did exist, and that some years earlier had been operated by an airline called Redwings, (also known as Century Airlines), based in Waterford, Missouri, who amongst other types, operated a DC-9-32, N542TX.
I spoke to a couple of people who worked in our Washington Office, and one of them knew about the flights, because he had Cuban connections and gave me a contact number in Miami. When I was next in Miami, I called the number and they said that there was a flight, but because I was a British passport holder, I could not travel on it. Only those with diplomatic or Cuban passports were allowed to book. They confirmed that the flight typically left Miami at about 0330 for the one-hour flight to Havana. I asked what type of aircraft they were using and he said that it varied. Apparently, the operation was put out to tender (as the Falklands Air Bridge was) and it depended upon which carrier won the contract.
Fast forward to 2023 and the US now operates open and direct flights to Cuba, (an initiative set up by President Obama), but general tourism to Cuba is still banned for US passport holders, unless they fulfill certain conditions. Cubana however, owing to their appalling safety record, are not allowed to fly the reciprocal operation. Following the publication of the Cubana book, I was in regular correspondence with a Cuban-American who lives in Florida and revealed that he once travelled on one of the ghost flights in the 1980s. In his case it was an unmarked 727, US registered, but he had no idea to which airline it belonged. He added that they were told to go to a specific check-in desk at the airport by number, because it would be otherwise unmarked. The check-in time was 0200. The airport was apparently otherwise deserted. After check-in, they were taken by bus to a remote part of the airport, where the aircraft was parked. The same arrangement was in place in Havana, where the flight did not appear on any of the departure boards, and was not shown above the check-in desk. Again, the aircraft was parked in a remote part of the airport, and the passengers once checked in, were transported by bus.
