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Havana (AFP) - The United States and Cuba signed an agreement Tuesday authorizing daily US commercial flights to the communist-ruled island for the first time in more than 50 years.
The deal allows up to 110 daily flights to 10 destinations in Cuba, with about 20 of them to the capital Havana, where authorities have ordered renovations to double the capacity of Jose Marti airport.
"Today is a historic day in the relationship between Cuba and the United States," said US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in Havana, where he signed the accord with his Cuban counterpart Adel Rodriguez.
"For the first time in more than five decades, the United States and Cuba will allow (airlines) to establish a service between our two nations."
Rodriguez said the accord marked "the start of a new era in air transport links between Cuba and the United States, which will contribute to the deepening of ties between our two countries."
Currently, all flights between the two countries are charter flights.
US authorities said they would immediately invite American airlines to submit applications to operate the flights, with routes to be set up within months.
The Cuban government will also give "thorough consideration to future requests from the US government to increase this level of service," said US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Transportation Affairs Thomas Engle.
The agreement allows for regular flights "between any city in the US and any city in Cuba," provided it is equipped with infrastructure for international air travel,
http://news.yahoo.com/us-authorizes-...ory&soc_trk=fb
The deal allows up to 110 daily flights to 10 destinations in Cuba, with about 20 of them to the capital Havana, where authorities have ordered renovations to double the capacity of Jose Marti airport.
"Today is a historic day in the relationship between Cuba and the United States," said US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in Havana, where he signed the accord with his Cuban counterpart Adel Rodriguez.
"For the first time in more than five decades, the United States and Cuba will allow (airlines) to establish a service between our two nations."
Rodriguez said the accord marked "the start of a new era in air transport links between Cuba and the United States, which will contribute to the deepening of ties between our two countries."
Currently, all flights between the two countries are charter flights.
US authorities said they would immediately invite American airlines to submit applications to operate the flights, with routes to be set up within months.
The Cuban government will also give "thorough consideration to future requests from the US government to increase this level of service," said US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Transportation Affairs Thomas Engle.
The agreement allows for regular flights "between any city in the US and any city in Cuba," provided it is equipped with infrastructure for international air travel,
http://news.yahoo.com/us-authorizes-...ory&soc_trk=fb