Cuba allows semi-restricted commercial flights from United States, improves relations

Art+by+Jack+Harmon

Art by Jack Harmon

Air travel to Cuba for Americans may soon be possible after almost six decades of the establishment of the embargo and ban on travel.

According to “The Atlantic,” the United States and Cuba have signed a travel agreement that allows commercial flights for the first time in more than 50 years. The recent report comes with the agreement made with respective presidents Barack Obama and Raúl Castro last December to better the relationship between the United States and Cuba and to slowly get rid of the embargo. Prior to this, the United States’ relationship with Cuba was uneasy, and travel was absolutely banned. Now, after all these years, many families will be able to return to the island to visit one another.

I am excited that flights are opening to Cuba and that I will be able to visit because being able to see where my ancestors are from and knowing how far our family has come will be very fulfilling.

— Bella Perez

“I am excited that flights are opening to Cuba and that I will be able to visit because being able to see where my ancestors are from and knowing how far our family has come will be very fulfilling,” said junior Bella Perez, the daughter of a Cuban immigrant.

Family visits to Cuba have been permitted even under the embargo but are extremely difficult to plan. Now families are able to look forward to the day when big name airlines such as American, JetBlue and Delta will offer airfare to Cuba through non-charter flights.

According to USA Today, almost every major airline will be bidding to receive daily flights to Cuba. The agreement opened up 110 flights per day through American carriers; 20 of which will be based in Havana and the other 90 of which will be dispersed to Cuba’s nine other international airports. Because of the limited number of flights, airlines have the chance to put in their bids on what routes they wish to receive and to go through a process of negotiating, which should last until the end of this March. Once that process is completed, commercial flights may open up as early as this summer. However, there are still rules that were agreed on upon the signing of this agreement.

According to CNN, you must prove that you are going to Cuba for one of the reasons agreed upon, including family, research, journalism, education, performances and government work. Even though travel to Cuba is still not as free as many people had hoped for, this is a major step in rebuilding the United States’ relationship with Cuba. It is only the beginning for the United States’ and Cuba’s friendship, but it is a relationship that generations to come will see become stronger.