The U.S federal authorities have given permission to Key West International Airport allowing it to offer a new Cuba route for American travellers.
Key West International Airport is the latest airport in the United States to be given permission to provide flights to Cuba holidays for American residents but because it is a small airport, the planes will be restricted to carrying only 10 passengers or less to Cuban airports.
Image by Chaymation, on Flickr.
Florida's southernmost airport is located just 90 miles across the Florida Straits from the Caribbean communist island and the charter flights to Cuba will take just 30 minutes for American travellers.
Until recently only three airports in the United States - Miami, Los Angeles and New York's JFK - were permitted to operate Cuba flights but in January this year, President Obama relaxed restrictions on the ongoing U.S-Cuba travel embargo, and several airports have received permission to operate charter flights to the island nation. These include airports in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Tampa and San Juan in Puerto Rico.
American residents are now permitted to take Cuba holidays for religious, academic, cultural, educational, and professional purposes and Cuban-Americans can now visit their homeland without any restrictions.
Image by: analista55, on Flickr.
The Director of Airports for Monroe County where Key West International Airport is located, Peter Horton, said that the authorisation email he received from U.S. Customs and Border Protection did have some restrictions for Cuba flights.
"It does not open up flights for the average American and it limits arriving passengers to 10 per flight. But it's the first step and it's an important one," Horton explained.
He added: "Cuban-Americans with relatives in Cuba could fly from here, when we have an airline arranged, as could anyone with a federal license to visit Cuba, but not tourists visiting the Keys, or locals."
Key West International Airport has already begun a $2.25 million upgrade project that is expected to be completed in two years and will see the expansion of facilities for Customs and Border Protection in order to receive more passengers.
Image by Robin Thom, on Flickr.
According to Cuban statistics, the number of U.S citizens who visited Cuba in 2010 increased by 20 per cent and 350,000 Cuban-Americans visited family and friends following the relaxed travel restrictions.
The Caribbean island is expecting to receive nearly three million tourists in 2011 as travellers from all over the globe visit Cuba hotels, tourist attractions, beach resorts and historical sites.
About the Author
Orlando Consuegra has worked on the Cuba holiday industry from its very begining, initially as a Tour Guide for Saga and Kuoni, he travelled the island helping thousands of holiday makers to make the most for their holiday in Cuba.
Praised by many as one of the best tour guides in Cuba, both for his impeccable knowledge and his very correct manners, Orlando got promoted to Guides Coordinator in the Cubanacan Travel Agency. During this period Orlando helped organise fam trips for European tour operators as part of the insertion of Cuba in the world's holiday industry.
Promoted again as General Supervisor of The Holiday Place in Cuba, Orlando helped build very strong relationships with all the hotels in Cuba while enforcing a very high level of service and attention to all company's clients.
Orlando writes a blog "Know Cuba holidays like Us" at The Cuba Experience website where he shares his deep knowledge in Cuba and its holiday industry.
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