JetBlue TrueBlue - with new relaxed travel restrictions can and will B6 start cuba flights?

i don't even know if it's possible but will carriers like jetblue or American start service to cuba due to the new relaxed travel legislation formed by the obama administration? i know it's supposedly for people who have relatives there..but that's still a HUGE market that B6 can definitely gain a good share of the market considering their a few of their focus cities/areas esp (FLL/Florida, NYC) have huge cuban populations.

as i said i have absolutely no idea whether a US carrier is even able to fly there but it is an interesting idea. if not now maybe in the future(possibly far future).

thoughts?

US carriers fly charters to Havana under government-controlled conditions right now. If the legislation passes and Obama signs it, no reason why there shouldn't be scheduled ops to HVN within a year or so. The curiosity factor will be high and the Cubans want the hard currency from US tourism. It would be a natural for B6 to run the Sky Masterson Special JFK-HVN (cf. Guys and Dolls)... you'll be able to fly Sister Whatzername down for a long evening of dulce de leches, or whatever drink makes her crazy in the show.

If the legislation passes and Obama signs it, no reason why there shouldn't be scheduled ops to HVN within a year or so.

Sure there is. Actually there are many reasons.


There is nothing in the legislation that permits scheduled commercial air service to Cuba.
There is no indication as to whethere there will be a bilateral agreement w/r/t routes and frequencies should air travel be established.
The embargo is NOT going away.


Yes, restrictions are starting to loosen up (http://www.wanderingaramean.com/2009/04/cuba-travel-restrictions-starting-to.html), but right now it only affects mega-corporations like the telecom giants and folks who actually have relatives in Cuba. Everyone else is pretty much still in the same boat we've always been in.

And they'll probably want to fly to HAV; HVN is up in Connecticut. ;)

HVN is up in Connecticut. Well, then there's nothing stopping them. :p Sorry about that.

AirTran is eyeing Havana:

http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/delta/stories/2009/04/22/airtran_cuba_flights.html

a320 can not land in HVN

a320 can not land in HVN

Ummm... Wasn't it establish already that HVN is in Conneticut and the thread was about the possibility of service to HAV?

a320 can not land in HVN BA used to fly 777s to Havana, so I'm pretty sure an A320 can get in and out.

a320 can not land in HVN

Why do you say that? HAV can handle much larger equipment.

AirTran is eyeing Havana:

http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/delta/stories/2009/04/22/airtran_cuba_flights.html

Two things I find entertaining about that story. First, it is an AirTran story but the section heading on the AJC site is Delta. Second, of course they want in, just like everyone else. But they also acknowledge that there are likely going to be bilateral frequencies issues and that they have no reason to believe that they'll get any frequencies or even that the market is actually going to open up for scheduled commercial service. The whole thing is a joke.

The whole thing is a joke. That's what they used to say about HVN, and look at 'em now. :D