CAL begins flights to Cuba

Caribbean Airlines (CAL) will reactivate flights from Port-of-Spain to Havana, Cuba from 8.30 am tomorrow.

Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon will be among those on the inaugural flight.

The twice weekly flight was announced on Thursday at the Post Cabinet media briefing as part of Government’s efforts to increase trade with Cuba.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert said the flight would operate Tuesdays and Saturdays, and would allow people from surrounding CARICOM countries the opportunity to travel to Cuba if they wished.

Pointing to detailed research into the sustainability of the flight, the Minster said it will be well sustained by demand as it is expected to attract South and Central American travellers seeking a simpler travel route.

Imbert noted the added opportunity for investment as a Chinese airline is already offering connecting flights between Beijing and Havana via Montreal.

The Minister said he hoped that CAL will tap into this market and encourage Chinese visitors to travel to Trinidad and Tobago as the route is more convenient than those currently in existence.

CAL’s Boeing jets have a capacity of approximately 160 passengers travelling between Havana and Port of Spain in either direction, and the same jet aircraft used to fly to Havana would be used to return to Trinidad and Tobago, Imbert said.