Russia to help Cubana get fleet back in air this year

Russia will help Cuba repair state-run airline Cubana's mostly grounded fleet, likely by year's end, Russian deputy prime minister Yuri Borisov was quoted as saying by Cuban news agency Prensa Latina Friday. Cubana had to cancel most domestic flights last year due to a lack of flightworthy planes and lease aircraft from other companies. The carrier uses mainly Russian and Ukrainian-made Ilyushins, Tupolevs and Antonovs partly because US sanctions prevent it from buying planes with a certain share of US components. Cuba's cash crunch restricts it from paying for expensive repairs and spare parts. After a high-level Russian-Cuban intergovernmental commission meeting in Moscow, Borisov said both sides had checked the repairs needed and had written contracts, without giving details on costs. <br/>