United States, Cuba to resume scheduled commercial airline service

United States and Cuba have agreed to restore scheduled commercial airline service between the two countries for the first time in more than five decades, exactly a year after they started the process of normalizing relations.

The latest step to restore U.S.-Cuba ties after 54 years of hostility will not go into effect immediately but should eventually increase tourism and business on the communist-ruled island.

Once implemented, the agreement will allow U.S. airlines to sell tickets on their websites for flights to Cuba, but they must first apply for permission from U.S. regulators to fly specific routes. Charter flights operated by U.S. carriers already connect the countries.

The United States and Cuba have agreed to allow 110 round-trip flights on U.S. airlines to Cuba per day, according to Thomas Engle, deputy assistant secretary for transportation affairs at the U.S. State Department. That includes 20 flights to Havana and 10 to each of the other nine international airports in Cuba.

He said no date has been set for final signing of the aviation agreement, but no issues were expected to stop it.

A group that promotes U.S.-Cuba trade said there was a 60-to-90 day process during which U.S.-based air carriers will submit proposed routes, suggesting scheduled flights would not begin until the first few months of 2016 at the earliest.

The decision to restore ties, made by U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro a year ago, in part reflected Washington’s judgment that its policy of isolating Havana politically, economically and diplomatically had failed.

While U.S. officials still oppose Cuba’s lack of political rights, Obama concluded these goals could be better served through engagement.

Although the agreement will eventually make it easier to travel back and forth between the countries, the U.S. ban on general tourism to the Caribbean island remains in force.

U.S. travelers still must meet at least one of 12 criteria to visit, such as being Cuban-American or taking part in educational tours or journalistic activity.

Credit: Reuters