Viral Video Captures Traveler Congestion Outside Havana's Airport: What Happened?

"This is the situation in Cuba. Left outside the airport like animals. No airline is attending to these people..." a tourist with a foreign accent is heard saying in a 17-second video that began circulating on social media Friday night, rapidly gaining viral status. The footage depicts hundreds of travelers with their luggage, seemingly stranded outside Havana's José Martí International Airport Terminal 3, unable to enter the building.

Activist Lara Crofs shared the video, stating, "Both foreign and national tourists are stranded outside the José Martí International Airport, Terminal 3, late at night, with no clear information on what will happen with their flights." Various posts accompanying the clip suggest the incident occurred on the night of August 9. In recent hours, the images have proliferated across numerous Facebook profiles.

Despite the widespread attention, no specific explanations have emerged regarding the incident. However, the images have sparked discussions in various forums, where numerous Cubans express frustration over the country's deficiencies, poor management of services, and deteriorating infrastructure. Some see the footage as evidence of why international tourists increasingly avoid Cuba as a destination.

Many pointed out that scenes like this serve as "bad publicity" for the island, highlighting a system unable to ensure dignified treatment even for those bringing much-needed foreign currency. Among the hundreds of comments, criticism of the regime and calls to avoid travel to the island are prevalent. Comments such as "#NoTravelToCuba," "Keep visiting Cuba, they can't even guarantee that," and "Take a good look at this news... the dictatorship works hard to ruin tourism," reflect public sentiment.

Others have referenced previous experiences, normalizing the scene: "It's always like this in Cuba; you can't enter until boarding time," or "Twenty years ago, I went to see my mom off, and it was the same." Irony and dark humor also found their place: "Are they selling chicken?" "Did they sell the planes’ tires or wings???" and "CUBA AWAITS YOU... now it says: WHAT AWAITS YOU IS CUBA!"

As of the close of this report, uncertainty remains. There is no official confirmation or explanation about the incident, nor any denials. Neither Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, the Minister of Transportation, nor the official Facebook profiles of the airport or Empresa Cubana de Aeropuertos y Servicios Aeroportuarios S.A. have commented on the images.