Scheduled U.S.-Cuba Flights Unlikely to Start This Year
October 01 2015 - 1:50PM
Dow Jones News
The U.S. and Cuba are continuing work on re-establishing direct
scheduled commercial flights, a State Department official said
Thursday, though it isn't likely technical and regulatory
challenges can be overcome for services to be launched this
year.
A U.S. delegation met with Cuban counterparts in Havana this
week for two days of technical consultations aimed at paving the
way for an informal mechanism that would allow scheduled
flights.
The Obama administration has been exploring an informal
arrangement that would allow fliers to book flights direct with
airlines rather than via package tour operators as well as further
steps to loosen travel restrictions for Americans to the island
nation despite the decades-old congressional ban. Officials in
August expressed optimism that flights could start by December, and
a number of U.S. airlines have expressed interest in launching
them.
But the State Department official said this week's meeting
wasn't expected to secure an informal agreement on scheduled
flights, and that it isn't clear now when service could start.
The official said a third round of talks with Cuba could
possibly be scheduled for this year. "Hopefully this doesn't take
too long, but there's no set timetable," he said.
One sticking point is that Cuba is seeking equal flying rights
for its airlines and U.S. carriers to launch scheduled services.
Cuban aviation regulators and airlines would have to meet a host of
U.S. technical and safety standards, which are overseen by the
Federal Aviation Administration. Its officials attended this week's
meeting but weren't immediately available for comment.
The State Department official declined to comment on whether
U.S. carriers could potentially start scheduled service before
Cuban airlines.
"Clearly the Cubans are interested in reciprocity," said the
official. "We've been equally clear on the facts of our regulatory
environment."
Big U.S. carriers including American Airlines Group Inc., United
Continental Holdings Inc., Delta Air Lines Inc. and JetBlue Airways
Corp. all stand to benefit from a deal between the U.S. and Cuba to
resume scheduled flights between the countries for the first time
in decades.
All four airlines have said they are eager to serve Cuba when
allowed and all are familiar with the island after operating
charter flights over the past several years.
Cubana de Aviacion, Cuba's largest airline, operates a fleet of
Russian-made jets flying to cities in South and Central America,
Europe and Canada.
Cuba has 10 airports providing international service, and
carriers including Virgin Atlantic Airways, which is part-owned by
Delta, have in recent years launched services to the country.
Write to Doug Cameron at doug.cameron@wsj.com
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 01, 2015 13:35 ET (17:35 GMT)
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