The run on Cuba
The USA and Cuba want to resume commercial air traffic between the two countries for the first time in five decades. All four major US airlines as well as Alaska Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Silver Airways and Spirit Airlines reacted immediately and applied to the US government for permission for direct flights to Cuba.
The huge flood of inquiries resembles hysteria and is the result of the agreement between the USA and Cuba announced on March 2. The first flights are expected to begin in late summer. Initially, a total of 20 daily return flights have been approved by US airlines between the USA and Havana, as well as 10 daily frequencies to nine other Cuban cities. But the airlines' wishes are greater. This is because US airlines can apply for rights to new routes for up to 110 daily flights between the USA and Cuba. That is five times more than the charter flights currently approved.
Whether this volume seems realistic and, above all, whether the outdated infrastructure of Cuban airports can cope with the onslaught is also questionable. American Airlines alone has plans for ten daily flights to Havana, as well as twice daily flights from Miami to Santa Clara, Holguin and Varadero, and to Camaguey and Cienfuegos. United wants eleven daily flights to Havana, Delta as well, Southwest wants to fly to Havana from three Florida airports and to Varadero and Santa Clara from Fort Lauderdale. And JetBlue has asked for 15 daily frequencies between four Cuban cities and six airports in the USA.
Incidentally, the agreement does not provide for any flights by the national Cuban airline to the United States. The small Austrian airline Austrian Airlines is also joining the Cuba hysteria and is modestly launching a new weekly frequency from Vienna to Havana in the course of the year.
![[Translate to en:]](/fileadmin/_processed_/0/3/csm_Karibik_Kachel_Website_bd14d92320.png "[Translate to en:]")
![[Translate to en:]](/fileadmin/_processed_/d/c/csm_csm_Burj_Khalifa_6aa4204cda_c60dbba775.png "[Translate to en:]")
![[Translate to en:]](/fileadmin/_processed_/5/6/csm_2_prb23_0733_web_230fecf93e.jpg "[Translate to en:]")
![[Translate to en:]](/fileadmin/_processed_/0/3/csm_Karibik_Kachel_Website_4fa96af5ad.png "[Translate to en:]")
![[Translate to en:]](/fileadmin/_processed_/d/c/csm_csm_Burj_Khalifa_6aa4204cda_6e24649320.png "[Translate to en:]")
![[Translate to en:]](/fileadmin/_processed_/5/6/csm_2_prb23_0733_web_8dbd0bd4df.jpg "[Translate to en:]")