The 20 round-trip daily flights between the US and Cuba’s capital will begin as early as this fall, said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
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“Our countdown to Cuba continues with enthusiasm and we’re finalizing plans to bring our world famous value and customer service to these emerging U.S.travel markets”, said Southwest chief executive Gary Kelly.
Delta was among eight airlines that won tentative approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation to begin Havana flights from 10 U.S. cities as early as this fall.
Twelve U.S. airlines applied to provide the 20 daily flights allowed under an agreement between governments.
The agreement is possible due to an agreement the countries signed February 16 allowing scheduled air service to resume after more than 50 years.
The route is among 20 slots in Havana that were made available to US carriers this year when the federal government signed an agreement with Cuba to restore regular commercial air travel between the two countries, after a gap of more than 50 years. It also recommended flights to Havana on Delta Air Lines Inc DAL.N , United Continental Holdings Inc UAL.N , Southwest Airlines Co LUV.N , Alaska Air Group Inc ALK.N , Spirit Airlines Inc SAVE.O and Frontier Airlines.
A dozen USA airlines sought to operate scheduled passenger service to Havana, according to the Transportation Department.
“We’re still waiting for regulatory approval from the USA government and the Cuban government”. We expect to reach a final decision this summer, and most of the airlines propose to begin their services in the fall and winter of 2016/2017.
Six airlines were given permission in June for 90 daily flights from five USA airports – none in the NY area – to nine Cuban airports, but not Havana, which is Cuba’s capital and largest city. Airlines have until July 22 to file objections to the routes. Commercial airlines are already looking at third-party companies to help expedite the vetting process to get into Cuba, he says.
A total of 20 daily round-trip flights are now permitted between the US and Havana, but because USA carriers requested nearly three times as many flights to be allowed, the Transportation Department awarded the nonstop trips to specific airlines announced Thursday. Travelers flying to Cuba must be from one of 12 categories, including people visiting family, working journalists, people on official government business and others.
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The service will be the Atlanta-based carrier’s first daily nonstop scheduled flights to Cuba since 1961, when the airline stopped its service between New Orleans and Cuba amid “political instability and profitability issues”, according to the carrier.
