US Announces First Flights to Cuba after Restoring Relations with Caribbean Island; Complete List of Cities and Airlines Bound for Havana
(Photo: Reuters/Joshua Roberts)
After United States decided to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba, eight proposed U.S airlines won tentative government approval on Thursday.
Five decades ago, U.S and Cuba had lived with hostility, severed during the Cold War in 1961. One of President Barack Obama's methods in advancing to normalized relations between Cuba is the permission of direct flights to Havana, marking its first flight travel between the countries within 50 years.
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Below is the full list of tentative airlines and flight routes approved by the Department of Transportation (DOT).
Alaska Airlines
Los Angeles: 1 daily round-trip flight
American Airlines
Miami: 4 daily round-trip flights
Charlotte: 1 daily round-trip flight
Delta Air Lines
Atlanta: 1 daily round-trip flight
New York JFK: 1 daily round-trip flight
Miami: 1 daily round-trip flight
Frontier Airlines
Miami: 1 daily round-trip flight
JetBlue
Fort Lauderdale: 2 daily round-trip flights (except one on Saturdays)
New York JFK: 1 daily round-trip flight
Orlando: 1 daily round-trip flight
Southwest Airlines
Fort Lauderdale: 2 daily round-trip flights
Tampa: 1 daily round-trip flight
Spirit Airlines
Fort Lauderdale: 2 daily round-trip flights
United Airlines
Houston Bush Intercontinental: 1 weekly round-trip flight (Saturday only)
Newark Liberty: 1 daily round-trip flight
The decision is tentative and is still subject to objections, but the DOT is looking forward to finalize the approval later this summer. The government's decision, if made final, will require airlines to begin within 90 days of the final order's issue date.
People must also be reminded that the tentative decision issued by the Department of Transportation doesn't authorize airlines to "sell tickets or operate scheduled flights until a final decision is reached sometime later this summer."
The statement clearly implies that one cannot just casually travel as a tourist. In order for a person to visit, he or she must, at least, meet one of any of the 12 qualifications: family visits; official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; journalistic activity; professional research and professional meetings; educational activities; religious activities; public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; support for the Cuban people; humanitarian projects; activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes; exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials; and certain authorized export transactions.
Many believe and view that the decision to break hostility between Cuba and U.S is a great step towards more progress especially on the demand of travel and finding opportunities by the customers and travelers.
On the other hand, President Obama still cannot lift the embargo to Cuba without the approval of the Congress. But he believes that "a policy of engagement rather than isolation would help the Cuban people help themselves."
