Caribbean Airlines launches Havana flight

HAVANA, Jan 12th Regional carrier, Caribbean Airlines (CAL) started flying to Havana, Cuba on Friday.

The announcement was made on Thursday by Finance Minister Colm Imbert during a post-Cabinet news conference .

According to Imbert, the service would operate twice weekly and would allow people from surrounding Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states the opportunity to travel to Cuba if they wished.

He said the route also opens the possibility of tourism and trade linkages with Cuba as a Chinese airline has a route from Beijing to Havana, with an intermediate stop in Montreal, Canada. He explained, this could provide the opportunity for Chinese tourists and business people to come to the twin island republic.

The finance minister disclosed that based on information from CAL, its fleet of jet aircraft is currently underutilised and pilots may also be underutilised on certain routes. Explaining that this has to do with take-offs, landings and the amount of time spent in the air, Imbert said CAL’s consultants have said this is the best use of the aircraft at this point in time.

“It will not affect CAL’s jet schedule in any adverse way.”

CAL’s Boeing jets could accommodate approximately 160 passengers travelling between Havana and Port of Spain in either direction, he said, and the same jet aircraft used to fly to Havana would be used to return to Trinidad and Tobago.
(jamaicaobserver)