Cayo Largo del Sur Airport Closes For At Least a Week, Stranding Passengers

The airport in Cayo Largo, a resort island in Cuba, closed unexpectedly on Tuesday, stranding passengers with no way out.

The closure was initiated after the airport’s runway was damaged. At the time of writing, it is unclear how the damage occurred, but the airport will be closed until at least 26 Feb. The runway has reportedly been damaged since Feb. 16.

“The trips to / from Cayo Largo are interrupted,” the Canadian Embassy said. “Canadians planning to travel to Cayo Largo del Sur must confirm their flight plan with their travel agent before leaving. ”

The Embassy has encouraged people to avoid traveling to Cayo Largo until its airport reopens.

This closure is of special note for Canadian travelers. Air Transat, a Canadian leisure airline, serves the airport and has been forced to leave its passengers on Cayo Largo until the airport is reopened. The airline is, however, working to launch a plan “to bring our clients home.”

“Our clients will be transferred to the city of Batabanó aboard a ferry that can accommodate up to 300 passengers,” an airline spokesperson said. “From Batabanó, a coach will take you to the Havana airport. A Transat representative will accompany you throughout the trip.”

“We have two other groups who are currently on vacation at Cayo Largo and who will get back home as planned by the end of the week,” Air Transat spokesperson Debbie Cabana said. “These vacationers are not in a precarious situation; they are currently enjoying their stay and will return to Canada in the same way as the passengers who left yesterday.”

Air Transat serves Cayo Largo twice weekly from Montreal and once weekly from Toronto. 186 of its passengers will return to Montreal and 58 to Toronto over the weekend.