US Authorizes Flights to Cuba to Eight Commercial Airlines

The government of the United States authorized eight commercial airlines to fly to Havana officially, as announced by US Transport Secretary Anthony Foxx Thursday. The airlines that obtained the authorization for flights to Havana are: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines y United Airlines.

The flights to Havana by these US airlines will take off from airports in Atlanta (Georgia), Charlotte (North Carolina), Houston (Texas), Los Angeles (California), Newark (New Jersey), New York, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando and Tampa (Florida).

United Airlines made pressure, unsuccessfully, for the creation of a direct flight from Havana to Washington DC to connect the two capitals and assure the transportation of diplomatics, politicians and congressmen.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the services were assigned to cities that have populations with significant presence of Cuban émigrés and important centers of air traffic.

In February, Cuba and United States signed an agreement to restore regular air service to the greater of the Antilles, which is still subject to numerous restrictions in laws that support the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by Washington for more than half a century.