On August 26, 2014 Cuba was under the influence of what meteorologists call “the wide circulation of Hurricane Irene.” According to forecasts, the probability of rainfall was very high for the eastern region. However, August 26 is not remembered as a day of hostile climate, as it witnessed the first direct commercial flight between Puerto Rico and Cuba in half a century that came to the city of Santiago de Cuba.
There were only 20 passengers, most of them entrepreneurs. And it was a maiden flight, as described by Cuba Travel Services (CTS) that chartered the plane for this connection.
But the spring of 2015 will not only be limited by Nature, the news begin to acquire a more pleasant tone: Tony Perez Tourism Company recently announced plans to offer a dozen charter flights from San Juan starting this summer.
Charter flights usually have the sole function of transporting holiday destinations and Tony Perez Tourism, with over 20 years of experience, has established itself as the first agency of its kind in Puerto Rico.
This offer responds to requests for travel, which no longer require a license from the twelve categories of passengers established by Washington earlier this year, including trips of cultural, educational or religious interests, among others.
“What has changed is that before a license was required that was a bit cumbersome to obtain and can now be done directly,” said David Bernier, Puerto Rican Secretary of State, who said that “there are other airlines also making their numbers to assess the feasibility of offering direct flights “between the islands that are” the two wings of a bird, “as said the Puerto Rican poet Lola Rodriguez de Tio.
Bernier announced that it is processed a visit to Puerto Rico by Cuban officials to explain the government and local businessmen strategic growth plan for the coming years just to identify business areas in which they can help and benefit from Barack Obama and Raul Castro announcement last December 17.
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Puerto Rico’s intention is to create a strategy for public policy in the face of the gradual normalization of relations between the US and Cuba. It is in this sense that the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Jose Izquierdo, believes that “the business class of the island has to focus on identifying how to extend the commercial ‘cake’ available” and it calls for study opportunities open in Cuba.
The action plan will be designed by eleven people, six from the private sector and five from the public one, who met on February 23 for the meeting of the Joint Action Committee for Cuba.
Moreover at least five US airlines (American Airlines, United, JetBlue, Southwest and Delta) want to offer in the near future direct commercial flights to Cuba. Sen. Jeff Flake, co-author of a bill in the Senate to remove travel restrictions to Cuba, estimated that the service may be provided within a year.
