AviaCubana Ilyushin IL-86 (1960 - 2002 Livery)

Post revolution AviaCubana was very different to the glamorous pre-Castro airline. After losing their one and only Boeing 707 the airline turned to the Soviet Union for new equipment with an order for the Tupolev Tu-134 being placed in 1966.

While initially the airline expanded regionally its first widebody jets were ordered in the late 70s when Ilyushin announced the IL-86, while the airline wanted to expand to long haul operations the current situation was problematic so a deal was reached with Poletavia Soviet Airlines to maintain technical support for the jets and also acquiring 2 ex-Poletavia IL-86's in later years.

Despite the collapse of the Soviet Union the airline still continues to fly with IL-96's replacing the six IL-86 jets still flying in the early 2000s with the last flight taking place in 2006.