Flight connections between Cuba, U.S. increase
Xinhua, October 2, 2015 Adjust font size:
Flight connections between Cuba and the United States continue to increase, and negotiations for reestablishing direct flights between the two countries are still going on.
On Wednesday, Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) was added to the 18 U.S. air terminals offering direct charter flights to the Caribbean island, with a new flight operated by airline Swift Air flying out twice a week.
Meanwhile, the U.S. airline Jet Blue announced their second direct charter flight from New York to Havana.
In January 2015, U.S. President Barack Obama authorized U.S. airlines to fly to Cuba without special permissions from the Treasury Department.
In December 2014, Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced the decision to reestablish relations, following which U.S. citizens were allowed to travel to the Caribbean island.
On Monday and Tuesday, delegations from both countries held an initial round of negotiations in Havana to establish regular commercial flights, addressing topics relevant to air transport, operational security and aviation security, said Cuba's Foreign Affairs Ministry.
After more than half a century of hostility, Washington and Havana are both redoubling their efforts to normalize their relations, and U.S. air companies are pressuring U.S. authorities to lift flight restrictions. Endi