These past few weeks have seen the export credit woes of EU and US airlines hit the headlines once again so maybe now is a good time to think about some other airlines which suffer badly through regulation.
Like much of Cuban commerce, civil aviation has suffered losses due to the US economic, commercial and financial blockade of the country. It is estimated the blockage has cost the Cuban aviation sector some $260 million in the 12 month period to April 2010 alone.
Cuban airlines are currently unable to purchase just about anything, including aircraft, aircraft components, spare parts, equipment not only from the USA but from many other countries too. Cubana, the national airline, was receiving parts from Polish aircraft factory PZL Mielec for AN-2 aircraft and their ASH 62-IR engines but following the acquisition of the factory by the American Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation this lifeline was withdrawn. This in turn lead Cubana to enter into last resort lease agreements for Airbus A330 aircraft with Swedish airline NOVAIR, which involved extensive staff training on the type, but this lease was withdrawn when SR Technics reported problems over continuing to provide services in Havana, since it was breaching US Commerce Department regulations. This then meant that Cubana had to enter into highly expensive lease agreements with grupo TACA for two A320-200s at great cost while the engineers who had trained on the A330 were left unemployed.
Cuban airlines of course cannot operate in US territory, however a number of US airlines, including American Eagle cover routes from Miami, Los Angeles and New York to several Cuban airports.
If Cuba were allowed to trade freely once again then an aviation bonanza would follow in all areas from manufacturing to simulators, training and ATC equipment which in this current market would be of great benefit to the US economy.
Cuba is no longer a rogue nation, nor is it a sponsor of terrorist activity and it certainly has no known nuclear ambitions at this time so is it not time that Cuba was allowed to trade on a level playing field also?