The United States and Cuba have signed an arrangement that provides for the re-establishment of scheduled air services after more than 50 years, officials say, less than a year after the countries restored diplomatic relations.
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Cuban Transportation Minister Adel Yzquierdo Rodriguez commented that “the adoption of this memorandum is an important step that will soon permit the establishment of regular flights between the United States and Cuba”.
The White House is contemplating a possible presidential trip to Cuba in the final year of Obama’s administration. Mr Obama hopes to visit Havana by the end of March.
After months of negotiations, the two nations agreed to a deal in December that would allow for commercial flights to resume. The government expects to award routes and carriers could begin selling tickets in the fall.
Last year, about 160,000 Americans made the short trip to Cuba, located 145 kilometers off the southeastern USA state of Florida, home to thousands of Cuban-born immigrants and their families who left their homeland after revolutionary Fidel Castro seized control in 1959. But the distinction between banned tourism and travel for other reasons has blurred significantly.
Once the agreement is formally signed, airlines will have a 15-day window to submit applications to the Department of Transportation.
But Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs Brandon Belford said Cuban airlines will still have to obtain their own licenses from USA authorities.
US air carriers, the press release noted, are eager to “take advantage of these new Cuba opportunities”.
American’s Latin America gateway hub at Miami International Airport (MIA) will be included in the company’s application for scheduled service to Cuba.
“As a leading airline to the Caribbean and as an experienced carrier serving Cuba with charter flights since 2011, JetBlue eagerly awaits the opportunity to grow our service with regularly scheduled routes between various US and Cuban cities”, Land said. American also flies from Tampa to Havana and Holguin, and between Los Angeles and Havana. United plans to apply to offer service from some of its global hubs to Havana. It now does not fly charters to Cuba.
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Several other airlines, including United, Southwest, Delta, JetBlue and Spirit have expressed interest in securing daily routes into Cuba.
