American Airlines: We Deserve Most Cuba Slots

As the Department of Transportation (DOT) begins deliberating which American airlines will get some of the Cuban slots allowed by the new aviation agreement, American Airlines said it deserves the biggest piece of the pie.

In a filing with the DOT, American said it should be granted half of the 20 available Miami-Havana flights because “no airlines has proposed an allocation more tailored to demand and traffic than American.”

Not everyone agrees. In its filing, Southwest said it can deliver a flight priced $45 to $50 cheaper than American can, and “more than any other airline in this case, Southwest will successfully develop the new Havana markets, operate at high load factors, and bring the greatest air travel value to the U.S. consumer.”

The new agreement allows for 20 round-trip flights per day to Havana, and 10 to other Cuban cities. DOT will make a final decision this summer.

Pic: Sergey Kustov