FROM a situation in which only one passenger — and in one instance, no passenger at all — would fly on Cuban airline Aerogaviota, things have changed for the better.

Aerogaviota, which is managed by the Cuban Army, has seen major growth in passenger numbers in recent years, since the airline began regular flights between Jamaica and Cuba almost six years ago.

That growth, according to Yeni Larrahondo, general manager of Caribbean and Latin Travel Consultants Ltd, agents for Aerogaviota in Jamaica, comes against the background of heightened interest of Jamaicans in Cuba, and to a lower degree, Cubans wanting to see what Jamaica is like.

The Colombian-born Larrahondo, who is a naturalised Jamaican, having lived here for 16 years, worked for eight years with Cubana Airlines, which had regular flights from Cuba to Jamaica. Cubana had a codeshare agreement with then Air Jamaica, but when the Jamaican carrier folded, Cubana pulled out of the island.

Entered Aerogaviota shortly after, beginning with one flight per week between Havana and Kingston.

Now, there are two flights per week — Monday and Friday — between Havana and Kingston, with one stop at the Antonio Maceo Airport in Santiago de Cuba, the Spanish-speaking country’s second-ranked city.

In addition, there is one flight on Wednesday from Havana to Montego Bay, with one stop at Holgin.

“We started slow, our first flight had about 10 passengers, and on one occasion we had one passenger on one flight gong back to Havana, and another time the plane went back with only the crew aboard. It took eight months to have a good percentage of passengers from Montego Bay,” Larrahondo told the Jamaica Observer.

“At the start, people did not believe in Aerogaviota, because they said it was an old Russian plane and it was controlled by the army. It actually is a French plane and it has worked well. We have had no complaints,” she said of the 42-seat ATR aircraft being used.

The travel agency now has to be turning away passengers, as the demand for seats has been growing.

“The flights are full now. A lot of people are going to Cuba. Also, a lot of European people who go to Cuba, want to know about Jamaica, so they will spend a few days in Cuba, and then take off to Jamaica to spend more days.

“As for Jamaican passengers, they are more interested now to see what’s happening in Cuba, and with US and Cuba relations better now, more people are curious about what things will be like in Cuba in the future,” Larrahondo said.

A Havana-Kingston round trip costs around US$476, inclusive of taxes, while the Kingston to Santiago de Cuba return trip will run a traveller around US$378. The fares are more attractive for people embarking from Montego Bay to Holgin or Havana.

With Cuba and the US now moving along a friendly path, Larrahondo believes that more flights will soon have to be added between Jamaica and Cuba, what with the anticipated heightened business activities.

“Cuba is safer, cheaper and friendlier than most places and people like those things,” she said. “Many of our clients love to visit Cuba for vacation, they like to explore, and to make things better. We do package deals involving travel to both Jamaica and Cuba. People are always calling to get information,” she stated.

With most airlines now allowing travellers only one checked bag, Aerogaviota has made allowance for 15 students, or doctors on a mission to be check on two bags. The number is limited to 15 because of the size of the aircraft.

Larrahondo, a business administration major who along with her Cuban husband Julio Delgado run the New Kignston Shopping Centre-based operations, said that the company also has several attractive tour packages that would excite the average traveller.