US, Cuba Sign Air Services Agreement

Several airlines that offer flights in Central Florida have expressed broad interest in nabbing one of 20 spots for commercial air service between the United States and Havana, Cuba.

The United States and Cuba signed an agreement Tuesday authorizing daily USA commercial flights to the communist-ruled island for the first time in more than 50 years.

The Department of Transportation announced an agreement Tuesday with Cuban authorities that will send Americans south. Airlines may soon operate as many as 110 daily flights between the United States and Cuba, officials said.

The first flight for more than 50 years between the two countries will take off in the next six months.

Relations between the former Cold War foes have rapidly improved over the last few years with the formal re-establishment of diplomatic relations in July 2015. The U.S. president is set to visit Havana by the end of March.

According the Engle, there is outstanding concern that Cuban-owned aircraft could be seized by US officials in an effort to collect on outstanding judgments issued against Cuba over the expropriation of USA assets after the revolution. That’s based on its congratulations tweet to the departments of State and Transportation. Decisions will be sent to airlines March 14 and airlines must reply to those by March 21. That’s a pretty big step.

Besides Havana, flights will be allowed to Camaguey, Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo, Cienfuegos, Holguin, Manzanillo, Matanzas, Santa Clara and Santiago de Cuba.

USA transportation chief Anthony Foxx and his Cuban counterpart, Adel Yzquierdo Rodriguez, agreed to the pact at a ceremony in Havana. The agreement does not limit charter services, meaning that no DOT route awards are needed, and charter flights can continue as before.

TravelPulse said the “real windfall” for airlines will come after Congress rescinds the ban on regular tourism to Cuba.

Commercial travel will give travellers the ability to simply check an online box on a long list of authorized categories.

USA airlines now operate between 10 and 15 charter flights into the Cuban capital per day.

“American’s Latin America gateway hub at Miami International Airport will be included in the company’s application for scheduled service to Cuba. It would be great for us”, Lara said.