The two countries agreed late Wednesday on a deal to allow US commercial airlines to operate flights, according to the Washington Post.
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American and Cuban travelers now must fly on charter flights that are complicated to book, rarely involve an online portal and often force prospective travelers to email documents and payment information back and forth with an agent.
A spokesman for the U.S. State Department confirmed that progress had been made, but said the teams were still negotiating.
“The day that the president of the United States decides to visit Cuba, he will be welcome”, Reuters reported Josefina Vidal, director of USA affairs in the Cuban foreign ministry, as telling reporters. Those flying sometimes must arrive at the airport four hours in advance, and strict baggage limits apply.
Scheduled commercial flight services had been suspended for decades as a result of Cold War animosity, although charter flights connected the countries in the interim. Hotels and private hostels are booked for months. Those permitted to make such trips include US residents with family members on the island, those traveling for religious or professional reasons and visitors who participate in licensed “people-to-people” organized tours with an educational bent. American aviation officials estimate Cuba could allow more than a dozen fights to and from the USA daily, which would be a marked improvement over the cumbersome system of pricey chartered flights or stopovers in third countries that passengers now face.
On other issues, however, the USA and Cuba remain far apart. The agreement is the biggest business development since Obama and Raul Castro declared an end to more than 50 years of official hostility.
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U.S. travelers who want to visit Cuba would have to qualify under one of the U.S. Treasury Department’s 12 categories for legal travel to the island.
