“Today is a historic day… signalling that for the first time in more than five decades the United States and Cuba will allow scheduled service between our two nations”, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said at the ceremony.
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The air service agreement also allows for flights by Cuban airlines to the U.S., though these will likely be limited, because lingering judgments against Cuba would mean state carrier Cubana’s airplanes could be seized by USA courts.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has invited U.S. air carriers to apply to offer passenger and cargo flights between the two countries.
Though it is now technically possible to travel to Cuba from the United States, the routes are restricted to charter flights.
In total, there will be 110 daily round trip flights between the USA and Cuba.
Also at issue is the capacity of Cuba’s tourism sector, which may be overwhelmed by USA visitors.
Cuban Transportation Minister Yzquierdo Rodriguez said Tuesday’s deal was a key step to “the establishment of regular flights between the United States and Cuba”.
According to government sources quoted in the USA media, the new arrangement will permit up to 20 flights daily between Havana and various US cities, and another 10 to other worldwide airports inside Cuba.
American and United Airlines both welcomed the news.
American Airlines’ leaders said they will, however, include Miami International Airport in the company’s application for commercial service.
Under the airline agreement, USA visitors would still have to meet one of the 12 qualifying reasons to go to Cuba, such as traveling as part of an educational tour or arranging a professional meeting.
Last summer, Delta operated a charter flight that brought the Minnesota Orchestra back to Cuba 85 years after having played in Havana for the first time.
Currently, all flights between the two countries are charter flights.
In 2015, a United States embassy in Havana and a Cuban embassy in Washington DC re-opened, and the U.S. has eased many trade restrictions with Cuba.
The flights could begin in autumn this year.
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“You know it’s usually significant when the President made this announcement of re-establishing diplomatic relations more than a year ago”, Foxx told CNN. “American looks forward to submitting a Cuba service proposal to the Department of Transportation in the coming weeks”.
