The United States Authorizes Flights to Havana of Eight Airlines

HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 8 (acn) The United States authorized on Thursday eight U.S. commercial airlines to fly to Havana, said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

The authorized airlines are Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines, the Granma daily reported on Friday.
Flights to Havana will take off from airports in Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Houston Texas; Los Angeles California; Newark, NJ; New York and Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando and Tampa, Florida.
United Airlines lobbied unsuccessfully for the creation of a direct route to Havana from Washington, which would connect the two capitals and ensure the transportation of congressmen, politicians and diplomats.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, services are assigned to cities that have populations with significant presence of Cuban emigrants and important air traffic centers.
In February, Cuba and the United States signed an agreement to reestablish regular air service to the Caribbean island, which is still subject to many restrictions contained in the laws supporting the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed on Cuba by Washington for over half a century.