Cuba is willing to keep improving ties with United States, says Raul Castro

“We are really pleased about the opportunity to engage in scheduled service sometime in 2016 between the United States and Cuba”, said Howard Kass, the airline’s vice president of regulatory affairs.

The governments of Cuba and the United States have announced that they intend to reopen flights between the two countries in an attempt to bridge differences and pursue bettered bilateral ties. But even as the two countries draw closer, Washington continues to criticise the Communist, one-party political system.

The deal reached Wednesday night after three days of talks in Washington opens the way for US airlines to negotiate with Cuba’s government for routes that could bring thousands more visitors a day to the island. Travelers in 12 authorized categories-including business, cultural exchange, journalism, professional research, athletic contests and academic, humanitarian or religious work-may travel from the U.S.to Cuba so long as they self-certify that their travel meets one of the preapproved categories.

An official agreement would pave the way for U.S. airlines to schedule flights to Cuba so that travellers could book directly on the internet. JetBlue offers free Fly-Fi broadband internet, the most inflight entertainment, free snacks and soft drinks, and the most legroom in coach(a).

American has operated charter service to Cuba since 1991 with flights from Miami, Tampa and Los Angeles to five Cuban destinations.

Obama is marking the one-year anniversary of the announcement by the United States and Cuba of plans to restore relations. However, Cuba also could take steps to make conditions for American businesses there more favorable, officials said.

The cheerful invitation from the Engage Cuba Coalition-a new lobby meant to mobilize support for normal ties between Washington and Havana- declared, “The weather may be freezing, but U.S.-Cuban relations are thawing”. It was also not yet clear how many U.S. flights will be allowed into Cuba.

The president said he hopes enough progress can be made in order for a visit to happen, and possibly to “nudge the Cuban government in a new direction”.

Critics say there is little progress in human rights or the economy in Cuba and that America got little in return for restoring relations and removing Havana from the list of state sponsors of terror and loosening sanctions on travel and business.

Kavulich said this was likely a reference to the possibility that people with claims against Cuba might seek to seize Cuban assets in the United States and he suggested that the United States might do its best to protect such assets.