The American airline Jetblue, based in New York, has announced plans to launch several regular routes between the United States and Cuba this autumn. Jetblue is already one of the largest airlines serving the Caribbean, with 120 daily routes linking Florida in particular to Latin America and the Caribbean islands.
JetBlue has asked the US civil aviation authorities to allow it to launch three flights to Havana: one daily flight from New York JFK and Orlando to the Cuban capital, and up to two daily flights from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
The airline had previously applied for traffic rights from Fort Lauderdale to serve regional destinations in Cuba such as Santa Clara, Camagüey and Holguín. According to JetBlue's management, Fort Lauderdale and New York are - along with Miami - the two largest cities in terms of their population of Cuban origin. Since Barack Obama's visit in March, the US and Cuban authorities have been working rather effectively to enable the resumption of air services between the two countries after 50 years. Jetblue started charter flights to Cuba in 2011. The airline will be operating Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft on its new Cuban routes, offering in-flight internet and video on demand. The airline expects to start operating to Cuba at the end of September and should open its new routes for sale.
