The US Department of Transportation (DOT) this week allocated its first batch of scheduled Cuban traffic rights to local carriers.
This allocation, which excludes flights to Havana International, is in line with the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two countries in February this year. Under the arrangement, each country has been allotted up to ten daily roundtrip flights between the United States and each of Cuba’s nine other international airports - Camagüey, Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo del Sur, Cienfuegos, Holguin, Manzanillo Sierra Maestra, Santa Clara de Cuba, Santiago de Cuba, and Varadero (listed below as Matanzas).
Of the seven carriers that submitted proposals for regular, non-Havana flights, only that of Eastern Air Lines (2009) (Miami International) was rejected. The DOT said the Floridian ACMI/charter specialist did not yet possess the necessary scheduled authority to operate the flights it had proposed.
As such, the DOT has, after consideration, granted the following carriers authority to undertake the scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property, and mail between certain specified points in the United States and certain specified points in Cuba.
These entail:
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American Airlines (AA, Dallas/Fort Worth): (1) Miami, Florida, and Camagüey, Cuba (1x daily using A319-100); (2) Miami, Florida, and Cienfuegos, Cuba (1x daily using A319); (3) Miami, Florida, and Holguin, Cuba (2x daily using B737-800); (4) Miami, Florida, and Matanzas, Cuba (2x daily using A319); and (5) Miami, Florida, and Santa Clara, Cuba (2x daily using B737-800);
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Frontier Airlines (F9, Denver International): (1) Chicago O'Hare, Illinois, and Matanzas, Cuba (1x weekly (Sat only) using A320-200); (2) Chicago O'Hare, Illinois, and Santiago de Cuba, Cuba (1x daily using A320-200); (3) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camagüey, Cuba (4x weekly (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat) using A320-200) ; (4) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Matanzas, Cuba (1x weekly (Sat) using A320-200) ; and (5) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Santa Clara, Cuba (3x weekly (Tue, Thu, Sun) using A320-200);
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JetBlue Airways (B6, New York JFK): (1) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Camagüey, Cuba (1x daily using A320-200); (2) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Holguin, Cuba (1x daily using A320-200); and (3) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Santa Clara, Cuba (1x daily using A320-200);
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Southwest Airlines (WN, Dallas Love Field): (1) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Matanzas, Cuba (2x daily using B737-700); and (2) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Santa Clara, Cuba (1x daily using B737-700);
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Sun Country Airlines (SY, Minneapolis St. Paul International): (1) Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, and Matanzas, Cuba (1x weekly (Sat) using B737); and (2) Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, and Santa Clara, Cuba (1x weekly (Sun) using B737);
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Silver Airways (3M, Fort Lauderdale International): (1) Fort Lauderdale and Camagüey, Cuba (5x weekly Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun) using Saab 340B); (2) Fort Lauderdale and Cayo Coco, Cuba (3x weekly (Tue, Thu, Sat) using Saab 340B); (3) Fort Lauderdale and Cayo Largo del Sur, Cuba (1x weekly (Sat) using Saab 340B); (4) Fort Lauderdale and Cienfuegos, Cuba (2x weekly (Mon & Fri) using Saab 340B); (5) Fort Lauderdale and Holguin, Cuba (1x daily using Saab 340B); (6) Fort Lauderdale-Manzanillo, Cuba (3x weekly (Tue, Wed, Fri) using Saab 340B); (7) Fort Lauderdale-Matanzas, Cuba (4x weekly (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) using Saab 340B); (8) Fort Lauderdale-Santa Clara, Cuba (1x daily using Saab 340B); and (9) Fort Lauderdale-Santiago de Cuba, Cuba (1x daily using Saab 340B).
The carriers will be required to launch service within 90 days of their proposed start-up dates. Given demand for slots, the allocations will also be subject to a 90-day dormancy condition. Ticket sales are expected to commence in due course.
Allocations for scheduled Havana passenger flights will be dealt with at a later stage although operators that have submitted proposals include: Alaska Airlines (AS, Seattle Tacoma International); American Airlines; Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson); Dynamic International Airways (Greensboro Piedmont Triad International); Eastern Air Lines; Frontier Airlines; jetBlue; Silver Airways; Southwest; Spirit Airlines (NK, Fort Lauderdale International); Sun Country Airlines; and United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare).
As previously reported, only FedEx Express (FX, Memphis International) has applied for authority to operate regular cargo flights between the US and Cuba.
