American Airlines Resumes Lucrative Daily Flights to Havana
HAVANA TIMES – On Thursday December 2, American Airlines will resume daily flights to Havana with a 787 aircraft with seating for 234 passengers, reported Univision.
The flights, sure to be fully booked, are a gold mine for American as the fares are over $1,000 plus baggage costs for a one hour and fifteen-minute flight. An outrageous price that the high demand market will allow.
Since many of the travelers will be Cuban-Americans going to visit family and take needed supplies, the airlines can also make a hefty profit on their extra weight. While the first bag costs $50 and the second $65 from then on, a third will cost $200. Likewise, if a bag exceeds 32 kilos another $100 must be forked out.
Travelers from the United States are required to present their completed vaccination cards when arriving to the island as well as a negative PCR test made in the 72 hours before traveling and an antigen test 24 hours before the travel date, notes Diario de Cuba.
The extra strict requirements apply only to travelers from the United States, noted Civil Aviation Institute of Cuba president Armando L. Daniel Lopez.
Passengers flying from other countries are only required to can show their vaccination cards or a negative test. Children 12 and under and persons with proof that they have an ailment that prevents them from getting vaccinated are exempt.
Besides American Airlines, the charter companies and JetBlue are flying daily between the US and Cuba. Southwest is scheduled to begin their flights to the island in December.
Bob Michaels is correct about the limitation of two bags per passenger for those flying into Cuba. The obvious purpose is to strictly limit the volume of goods being brought into Cuba by so-called mules, for those who struggle to operate small businesses.
Diaz-Canel hopes to further strangle individual enterprise and to give GAESA monopoly. By so doing, the regime will be able to further raise already exorbitant prices, in their battle for revenue as the economy crumbles.
The economic tsar Marino Murillo, has been fully exposed as an incompetent.
A few corrections to the above (check yourself as these rules do change)
Cuba currently only allows 2 bags per passenger
Fully vaccinated US citizens no longer have to show recent PCR covid test nor do the 6 day quarantine upon arrival in Cuba.
Note: American, jetBlue, Southwest, and charters have been flying weekly to Cuba for all of 2021. Some have already transitioned to daily flights. I believe American is the last to do so. And, I am paying no where close to $1,000 for fares. More like $350 but available seats are limited.