The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced it has added the Havana International frequencies Alaska Airlines (AS, Seattle Tacoma International) plans to relinquish early next year, to the growing pile of unwanted Cuban access rights.

Alaskan Airlines recently confirmed it would terminate its daily service to the Cuban capital from Los Angeles International with effect from January 22, 2018, citing unsatisfactory demand. This, it said, had been brought on by increased restrictions governing US citizens' travel to the Communist-run island.

As such, the DOT said last week that it would establish a frequency allocation proceeding to determine takers for the unwanted rights. Submissions are due by December 8, 2017.

The DOT has already instituted another frequency allocation to deal with the three available daily round-trip frequencies relinquished by Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines earlier in the year. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, FedEx Express, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines with Mesa Airlines, have all submitted proposals and are awaiting a formal determination.