Southwest CEO: We Could Fly to Cuba This Year
by Daniel McCarthySouthwest CEO Gary Kelly said on Monday that “in all likelihood” it will apply for some of the commercial flight routes that were opened up by the U.S.-Cuba flight agreement signed last week.
Kelly said that now is the time for airlines to move into the Cuban market, because “if we don’t get our foot in the door now, we might miss the opportunity to serve Cuba for a long time. We are very prepared to consider this opportunity and may very well be flying to Cuba in 2016.”
Under the new agreement, airlines will compete for 20 round-trip flights per day between the United States and Havana, and 10 daily round-trip flights between the United States other Cuban cities. The Transportation Department is expected to award routes by this summer.
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, and United Continental also have said they will pursue the routes.
