Bangor airport gets license to refuel foreign flights serving Cuba

Bangor airport gets license to refuel foreign flights serving Cuba
Ryan McLaughlin | BDN
Posted July 18, 2016, at 5:53 p.m.
Last modified July 18, 2016, at 8:49 p.m.

Bangor International Airport has been issued a license allowing it to
provide refueling and other services to foreign flights to and from
Cuba, according to an announcement by Sen. Susan Collins on Monday.

Collins, chairman of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development
Appropriations Subcommittee, announced that the U.S. Treasury
Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued the license to the
Bangor airport, according to a press release. Collins wrote to the
Office of Foreign Assets Control and the State Department in support of
Bangor International Airport's application for this license, and she has
authored legislation to allow U.S. airports to serve as transit stops.

"Under the travel ban, foreign air carriers traveling to or from Cuba
were prevented from refueling and receiving services at U.S. airports,
forcing many to bypass airports like the Bangor International Airport
and choose Canadian airports instead," said Collins. "I have long
advocated that the U.S. permit these non-traffic transit stops, and I am
delighted that the Treasury Department has finally issued this license,
which will allow the Bangor [International] Airport to compete for
airlines' business and help create jobs in eastern Maine."

Bangor airport director Tony Caruso welcomed the news.

"Bangor is very excited to hear that our license has been approved to
handle Cuba flights on a technical stop basis. This will allow us to
compete on a fair and level playing field with Canadian airports," said
Caruso. "This traffic will result in added business for the airport. We
want to thank Sen. Collins and the rest of Maine's congressional
delegation for their efforts and support."

During these transit stops, passengers do not disembark the plane and no
new passengers board the aircraft. Yet, these stops are valuable for
airports and their employees who can offer fuel, de-icing, catering and
crew services. By not permitting transit stops, the U.S. was out of
compliance with several international transportation agreements,
including the Chicago Convention and the U.S.-EU Open Skies Agreement.
Permitting these stops would not result in any incremental benefits to
Cuba because these flights currently make transit stops in Canada.

Reps. Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin introduced a bill earlier this
year that would allow U.S. airports to compete for business involving
Cuban flights.

Source: Bangor airport gets license to refuel foreign flights serving
Cuba — Bangor — Bangor Daily News — BDN Maine -
https://bangordailynews.com/2016/07/18/news/bangor/bangor-airport-gets-license-to-refuel-foreign-flights-serving-cuba/