U.S. airlines vie for limited routes to Cuba
- 8 years ago
Top U.S. airlines on Wednesday said they were seeking regulatory approval to start flying specific routes to Cuba, ramping up competition over a limited number of opportunities to serve one of the industry's last frontiers.
Dramatizing their eagerness for the coveted flights, American Airlines Group Inc, JetBlue Airways Corp and others argued why they were best suited for the routes in memos that at times were critical of one another.
U.S. and Cuban officials signed an arrangement two weeks ago restoring commercial air service between the countries for the first time in decades.
U.S. carriers had until March 2 to submit route applications to the U.S. Transportation Department.
The arrangement, in the works after the Cold War foes said they would normalize ties in Dec. 2014, allows 20 round-trip flights per day from the United States to Havana and 10 round-trip flights per day to nine other airports in Cuba.
Dramatizing their eagerness for the coveted flights, American Airlines Group Inc, JetBlue Airways Corp and others argued why they were best suited for the routes in memos that at times were critical of one another.
U.S. and Cuban officials signed an arrangement two weeks ago restoring commercial air service between the countries for the first time in decades.
U.S. carriers had until March 2 to submit route applications to the U.S. Transportation Department.
The arrangement, in the works after the Cold War foes said they would normalize ties in Dec. 2014, allows 20 round-trip flights per day from the United States to Havana and 10 round-trip flights per day to nine other airports in Cuba.