Narayan AmmachchiUS citizens waiting to travel to Cuba on commercial flights can now purchase tickets, with the first flights being tentatively scheduled for the beginning of September.
As part of the deal signed with the Cuban government, the United States has approved scheduled commercial airline services to Havana from ten American cities, which include Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, New York, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa.
Major carriers, including Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit and United have been cleared to begin service to the José Martí International Airport in Havana.
American Airlines and JetBlue, the carriers that run most of the chartered flights to the communist country, are offering more commercial flights and more tickets. American is planning to offer 35 flights per week, and JetBlue is planning 27 flights per week.
To begin with, JetBlue will serve Havana from three U.S. cities: New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) (once daily); Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (up to twice daily) and Orlando International Airport (MCO) (once daily).
“Restoring regular air service holds tremendous potential to reunite Cuban American families and foster education and opportunities for American businesses of all sizes,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
However, not everyone can book tickets; there are still certain restrictions for Americans wanting to go to Cuba. Airliners are repeatedly making it clear that all customers traveling to Cuba must certify that they qualify for one of the twelve approved travel categories outlined by the U.S. Department of Treasury.
Carriers applied for more than 60 flights per day, indicating the demand for air tickets to Cuba, but the government allowed only 20 round-trip flights per day.
This is just another major milestone in President Obama’s efforts to ease relations with the communist island that lived under American sanctions for decades.
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