Local air carrier Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has announced the launch of a new service between Guyana and Cuba.
According to CAL, the service will operate once weekly on Saturdays between Guyana’s Cheddi Jagan International Airport and the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana.
The service was launched on November 21.
CAL said in keeping with Civil Aviation regulations, each flight into and out of Havana will transit via Piarco International Airport in Trinidad, but passengers will not be allowed to disembark the aircraft.
The routing schedule for each flight is as follows:
Departure
BW 467: Departs Guyana at 9.15 a.m.; arrives at Piarco at 10.25 a.m.
BW 476: Departs Piarco at 11.55 a.m.; arrives in Havana at 3.00 p.m.
Return
BW 477: Departs Havana at 4.15 p.m.; arrives at Piarco at 9.05 p.m.
BW 468: Departs Piarco at 10.35 p.m.; arrives in Guyana at 11.45 p.m.
CAL said these flights are open for sale, and customers may contact their Reservations Call Centre, www.caribbean-airlines.com or their travel agent for bookings.
Persons interested in this service are reminded to check the required COVID-19 travel protocols for entry into Guyana and Cuba.
Entry requirements for Guyana can be found at https://guyanatravel.gy/, while for information on entry into Cuba, interested persons can visit https://www.cubatravelservices.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Cuba-Declaracion-de-Sanidad-del-Viajero-CUBA.pdf
A check of the Guyanese site revealed that all passengers wishing to enter the country must do a molecular biological PCR test within 7 days of travel, and the test must be negative. If the test was done within 72 hours of travel, they will not be required to do another test upon arrival.
However, if the test was done within 4-7 days of travel, passengers will be retested upon arrival in Guyana and they will have to bear the cost for the second test.
A cost of US$85.00 is payable at check-in with partnering airlines. If payments are not made during the check-in process with airlines, the US$85.00 or its equivalent of G$16,000.00 will be payable upon arrival to Guyana.
Cash and credit cards payments are accepted, and advance payments can be made via the link https://covidtestingguyana.com/.
Additionally, passengers to Guyana must complete the Passenger Locator Form at least 24 hours before travel, and they must present their travel documents and negative PCR test result to airline representative at the time of checking in, at boarding, and upon arrival in Guyana.
With regards to entry in Cuba, all passengers are required to fill out a Health Declaration form before checking in for their flight to Cuba, and are required to bring a printed copy of this form once completed.
Cuba has also implemented a health tax of US$30, which is relevant to the mandatory PCR testing upon arrival of passengers to the country.
In keeping with their COVID-19 requirements, all visitors will be subject to PCR testing upon arrival into Cuba as well as quarantine for seven days (self-isolation or Government facility) as the authorities see fit. Additionally, Cuba mandates that persons must wear masks at all times if they are in a public place, as such, passengers are required to wear appropriate face masks.
