The hijackings that occurred in the late 1950’s through the 70’s were based on transportation and extortion.

Many of the transportation hijackings involved hijackers wanting to be taken to a particular destination. After World War II and the Cuban Revolution many of the hijackings were attributed to escaping refugees, escaping criminals, and diverting planes to Cuba.

Extortion was the motive for many of the hijackings that occurred during this period. The hijackers made demands backed by threats to harm the people aboard the planes. They demanded money, transportation, or had political objectives.

After Fidel Castro took control of Cuba in 1958, many hijackings occurred by anti-Castro individuals aimed at diverting U.S. planes to Cuba. The incidents of the hijackings reversed after the Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961.