Washington area travelers soon could be flying on regularly scheduled airline flights to Cuba for the first time in half a century.
U.S. airline companies will have the opportunity to apply by March 2 for routes to Cuba from U.S. cities. At the moment, passengers in the national capital area are only allowed to take limited and expensive private flights out of Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
“Previously, charter flights were allowed to operate between the two nations. With the developments [Tuesday] this will all change,” BWI spokesman Jonathan Dean said.
These changes come after a landmark agreement signed in Cuba Tuesday by U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Cuban officials.
Last August, the United States reopened its Havana embassy, which had been closed since 1961. The dramatic move was part of President Barack Obama’s on-going diplomatic initiatives aimed at normalizing relations with Communist Cuba, a nation of 11.2 million people. Restored air service is another key step.
“(Obama) is breaking down barriers and building bridges,” said Tomas Bilbao, a Cuba expert who for more than a decade has advocated better U.S.-Cuban relations.
The agreement will allow up to 110 daily flights from the U.S. to Cuba, including 20 daily flights to Havana, according to the Department of Transportation. U.S. citizens still are barred from going to Cuba as tourists, but may qualify for travel to the country under a dozen potential categories.