US carriers still keen on Havana

The Cuba market may have proved weaker than expected but interest from US carriers in serving Havana remains strong. The US Department of Transportation has had no problems finding replacements for the airlines handing in their Cuban slots and has given a provisional thumbs-up to American Airlines, Delta Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines/Mesa Airlines. The DoT re-opened scheduled passenger service to Cuba in February, 2016, as part of the Obama Administrations revival of diplomatic relations with the communist country. By August of that year, strong competition had seen airlines grab the 20 daily round-trip services allocated by the department to Havana. But weak demand and an announcement in 2017 by the Trump administration that individual travel by US citizens would continue to be restricted saw a number of airlines hand back their allocation. Frontier Airlines axed its Miami-Havana services, Spirit Airlines pulled out Fort Lauderdale-Havana, Alaska Airlines ended daily services to the Cuban capital from Los Angeles and Delta Air Lines significantly reduced its flights from New York JFK. Read no cigar for Cuba flights. The DoT, which has called for comments on its new allocations by April 16, noted that the Trump changes to US policy on Cuba did not alter its ability to authorize US carriers to provide scheduled services between the two countries. The allocations process saw several airlines trading shots as they jockeyed for position. Under the new ruling, American and Delta each get a daily service to Havana from Miami while JetBlue can fly six times a week — Sunday to Friday — from Fort Lauderdale and once a week from Boston. Southwest will fly daily from Fort Lauderdale and United Airlines/Mesa Airlines will be able to fly six times weekly, also Sunday to Friday, from Houston. “The Department’s principal objective in making its proposed selections was to maximize public benefits, including choosing carriers that offered and could maintain the best ongoing service between the United States and Havana,’’ the Dot said in its decision.  “Through these proposed selections, DOT seeks to simultaneously address service needs while promoting competition.” Travelers to Cuba must fall under one of 12 categories authorized by the Us Treasury Department’s  Office of Foreign Assets Control. These include family visits, journalistic activity, professional research, professional meetings,  educational activities, religious activities and public performances. Travel to Cuba for tourist activities is not permitted.