US, Cuba to sign agreement for restart of commercial flights
Monday, 16 Feb, 2016
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The US and Cuba will finally sign an air agreement, paving the way for commercial flights for the first time in more than five decades.
US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx is due in Havana on Tuesday to sign the accord.
"This provides for a very important, sizable increase in travel between the two countries, and that reinforces the president’s objective" said Thomas Engle, deputy assistant secretary of state for transportation affairs.
The agreement means airlines can bid to operate up to 110 flights a day to Cuba.
Of these, 20 daily flights will be allowed to and from capital Havana, with up to an additional 10 daily flights to Cuba’s nine regional airports.
According to reports, US airlines will then have 15 days to place a bid for routes with the US government.
Approval will then likely come in the summer with the first scheduled flights possible by October 2016.
Despite this, general tourism to Cuba is still officially banned and all US residents will still need to register their reasons for travel with authorities.
The 12 current permitted categories for travel include family visits, humanitarian projects, research and education.
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