More airports allowed for charter flights to Cuba
Eight new airports have been given permission to schedule charter flights to and from Cuba, boosting the total number to 11 and raising speculation the long-sought removal of sanctions are inching towards eventual repeal.
Customs and Border Protection officials say charter flights to Cuba can now be scheduled from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and international airports in Baltimore, Dallas/Fort Worth, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Tampa, Atlanta and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Previously, flights were only permitted from Los Angeles, Miami and New York.
Access to flights to the communist island nation will still be limited to people who meet certain travel requirements, including people from Cuba and those traveling for educational purposes or with religious groups.
“The Obama Administration is creating space for more growth of Cuba travel from the United States,” said Cuba Standard.com. The site said the move was a “substantial change” from the status quo of the past.
“The new rules broadly expand religious and academic travel, allowing members of religious groups as well as academics and full-time students to travel to Cuba, without having to apply for a specific license in Washington,” the site said.
“The decision to allow eight new airports to schedule flights to Cuba is part of a broad effort to reach out to the Cuban people announced by President Barack Obama earlier this year,” said the AP.
By David Wilkening
David
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