By Roger Yu, USA TODAY
Updated 20h 16m ago
A Tampa-based tour company says it will begin charter flights in the
spring to Cuba from Baltimore/Washington International Airport.
Island Travel & Tours will start weekly service between BWI and Havana
on March 21. Its mid-afternoon charter flights will mostly serve
business travelers, government officials, diplomats, academics, cultural
groups, agricultural interests, performing arts groups and
Cuban-Americans visiting families, says William Hauf, president of
Island Travel & Tours.
Earlier this year, the airport received federal approval from U.S.
Customs and Border Protection to handle passenger charter air service to
and from Cuba. The designation allowed the airport to recruit operators
of charter service to Havana.
"There are many organizations and institutions in Maryland and the
national capital region that will benefit from this direct access to
Cuba and the Cuban people," says Paul Wiedefeld, the airport's executive
director. It joins a short list of U.S. airports offering service to
Cuba, including New York, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago and Tampa.
In January, President Obama changed travel rules to Cuba, allowing
greater access for students, academics and religious and cultural
groups. Lifting restrictions has also encouraged four U.S. airlines -
American Airlines, JetBlue, United Continental and Delta Air Lines - to
announce their plans to operate new charter flights to the
Communist-ruled country.
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