English airliner initiates flights to Cuba

The first flight of Virgin Atlantic arrives in Cuba with tourists, newsmen and invited guests

Miguel Comellas

The first flight into Cuba of the British company Virgin Atlantic arrived Monday afternoon June 27.  In the  flight which arrived at the international airport of Jose Marti were tourists, the press and invited guests.    

A warm welcome awaited those who came on the maiden voyage

Among those greeting the passengers were Manuel Marrero, Minister of Tourism, Rogelio Acevedo, president of Civil Aeronautics Institute of Cuba, and John Dew England's Ambassador in Cuba. 

Virgin Atlantic, with a fleet of planes which include Airbus 340 and Boeing 747, now offers travel to Havana twice a week.

Virgin is a large company based in Great Britain which has associations with corporations related to travel, transportation, communication, finance and credit cards.

The owner, Sir Richard Branson, came in the maiden flight along with 150 invited guests, 60 reporters and British Boxer Amil Khan - who came to see his friend two time Olympic winner, Cuban boxer Mario Kindelán.  

Present on this flight were also businessmen, tour operators, actors and personalities from Great Britain. 

19.5% of Cuba's tourism is from England.  In 1997 there were 46,000 English visitors to Cuba, while last year it was 161,200. 

Most of the British tourists enjoy staying in the beach resorts of Varadero, Holguin, Jardines del Rey (Garden of the King), Cayo Santa Maria (Cape Santa Maria). 

Last year Cuba had 2,048,572 visitors; in 2005 the number of visitors is expected to exceed 2,300,000. 

Granma

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