US, Cuba to resume commercial air services after 5 decades

Cuba and the United States signed the agreement that will allow USA commercial airlines to begin operating flights to the island and vice-versa for the first time in decades.

“Today is a historic day in relations between Cuba and the United States”, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony R. Foxx said after signing the accord with his Cuban counterpart Adel Yzquierdo in Havana.

The Department of Transportation said US carriers must make their applications by March 2, with final comments and answers due March 21.

The U.S. and Cuba signed an agreement Tuesday that will re-establish regular air service between the two countries.

Delta Airlines will also bid on routes to Cuba, according to the firm’s vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean, Nicolas Ferri.

Commercial air service between the USA and Cuba has been embargoed since 1960.

The United States announced plans to resume the flights in December, on the one-year anniversary of the start of reconciliation between Washington and Havana. If the deal is announced Tuesday as anticipated, a 15-day window will open for USA airlines to request rights to Cuba cities and then begin negotiating with Cuban aviation officials, the AP said.

Under the new deal, there can be a total of 110 daily round-trip flights between the United States and the island. “Assuming service is approved, United customers will benefit from United’s expanded global route network and new opportunities for leisure and business travel to Cuba”, the statement said. American is also considering applying to serve Cuba from other hubs. A spokesman for the largest USA airline by traffic said American will apply for permission to fly from Miami and other American hubs, which he declined to identify, to Havana and perhaps other Cuban destinations.

CNN is told there are no plans in the near future for Cuban-owned planes to land in the USA under this agreement.

SCHAPER: Travel restrictions will remain in place so Americans can not fly to Cuba for tourism, only for one of 12 allowed purposes, including visiting family, humanitarian projects and educational activities. “We applaud the Administration for making commercial air service a priority and we thank Secretary Foxx, Secretary Kerry and their teams for their leadership in finalizing this arrangement”.