I just got off broward.org looking at the departutes from FLL and shows JetBlue flight 8615 departed to Havana Cuba at 945 AM.How often does JetBlue go to HAV. How often do other US carriers fly to HAV.

JetBlue runs a weekly charter to Cuba from FLL.

Regarding OAL's, there are multiple daily flights, especially on weekends from the US to Cuba.

Check the A.net archives. This topic comes up quite frequently.

It's probably a humanitarian charter.

Quoting doulasc (Thread starter): How often does JetBlue go to HAV. How often do other US carriers fly to HAV.

While I can't speak for Jetblue, There is almost daily service between the USA and Cuba. These are humanitarian charters, not scheduled flights.

Quoting bohica (Reply 2): These are humanitarian charters, not scheduled flights.

Not quite. They're VFR charters, for Cuban-Americans to visit their family in Cuba, which is perfectly legal, thus there being so many of them.

Here's todays arrivals and departures at HAV with several flights to/from the US:

http://flightaware.com/live/airport/MUHA

Plenty of flights between US and Cuba. They are special charters. The airlins can't sell tickets for them they just supply the plane and crew. You need to get permission from the US Gov to get on the flights. Many daily flights to Cuba from MIA not only to HAV but other smaller cities too. AA and Eagle are down there all the time and Skyking basically has a base in MIA only for Cuban flights.

Does anyone know which tail number is operating that flight?

IIRC, in addition to B6's FLL-HAV charters, I think NK does Cuba charters from FLL as well (which makes sense, as B6 and NK are fierce competitors from FLL). Ben Baldanza has also publicly said that should the rest of the travel embargo be lifted, that NK would love to do scheduled flights to Cuba.

Of course, even if the embargo were lifted tomorrow, there still wouldn't be enough hotel rooms in Cuba considered suitable by American standards. But that's a different story worthy of another thread.

Quoting flymia (Reply 5): Plenty of flights between US and Cuba. They are special charters. The airlins can't sell tickets for them they just supply the plane and crew. You need to get permission from the US Gov to get on the flights. Many daily flights to Cuba from MIA not only to HAV but other smaller cities too. AA and Eagle are down there all the time and Skyking basically has a base in MIA only for Cuban flights.

World Atlantic does these too out of MIA. No fuel is taken on in Cuba and no f/a's leave the plane.

Quoting FWAERJ (Reply 7): Of course, even if the embargo were lifted tomorrow, there still wouldn't be enough hotel rooms in Cuba considered suitable by American standards. But that's a different story worthy of another thread.

Well at least places like Varadero and Holguin (with tourists mainly going to Guardalavaca) seem to receive plenty of Canadian holiday charters, if those hotels are good enough for them I guess they would be good enough for US Americans too.

Sure a lot of more would be needed if embargo was lifted but I don't think it would take too long to expand existing hotel areas.

Certainly it will be interesting to see what happens when embargo will be finally lifted some day, at least I assume that could happen when those politicians still living cold war times in their minds finally retire.

Quoting FWAERJ (Reply 7): Of course, even if the embargo were lifted tomorrow, there still wouldn't be enough hotel rooms in Cuba considered suitable by American standards. But that's a different story worthy of another thread.

Don't tell that to the thousands of Canadian tourists who fly to Holguin and Varadero every winter, or to the smattering of American tourists who cross the border to fly to Cuba for a winter retreat.

CdnPylon

Quoting canadianpylon (Reply 10): Don't tell that to the thousands of Canadian tourists who fly to Holguin and Varadero every winter, or to the smattering of American tourists who cross the border to fly to Cuba for a winter retreat.

Or all of the Europeans who fly to Cuba on nonstops every single day.

Quoting canadianpylon (Reply 10): Don't tell that to the thousands of Canadian tourists who fly to Holguin and Varadero every winter, or to the smattering of American tourists who cross the border to fly to Cuba for a winter retreat.

Quoting sw733 (Reply 11): Or all of the Europeans who fly to Cuba on nonstops every single day.

or to the rapper & pop star 

Quoting canadianpylon (Reply 10): Don't tell that to the thousands of Canadian tourists who fly to Holguin and Varadero every winter, or to the smattering of American tourists who cross the border to fly to Cuba for a winter retreat.

Quoting sw733 (Reply 11): Or all of the Europeans who fly to Cuba on nonstops every single day.

I know that there are suitable hotel rooms in Cuba, and that Canadians and Europeans stay in those rooms. What I was trying to say is that if the US travel embargo were lifted tomorrow and American tourism to Cuba started, demand for these rooms would far outstrip supply. The analysts say that it would take years for the hotel joint ventures in Cuba to build enough rooms to fully meet demand from not just the American influx if the embargo is lifted, but refill capacity for Canadians and Europeans that was there during the US travel embargo.

And I could see such a move happening soon: the Helms and the Burton behind Helms-Burton have both retired and Ted Stevens (one of the most powerful men in the Senate and another strong embargo supporter) was booted out, then died. I'm not sure about Senator Rubio's stance, but it seems like the old guard Congressmen and Senators that support the embargo is getting smaller by the election cycle. IMO, the only reason why a bill hasn't been introduced to lift the embargo yet is because everyone in the House and Senate is fixated on domestic economic recovery. And I'm sure if such a bill hits the desk of the POTUS, it will get signed. Obama has already loosened many Cuban VFR restrictions and allowed US cellphone companies to build towers in Cuba, so I see no reason why he wouldn't lift the embargo as well.

AA and AA Eagle operate from MIA to Cuba as well. I flew between MIA and Havana on AA, interesting set up to check in at MIA. ABC charter employees check you in and charge you for your bags, two AA agents isuue your boarding pass. The AA agent at the gate only assist in boarding but when it comes to booking issues ABC has to take care of it. Flights into Havana arrive into a terminal which only handles US flights, Cayman Airways for some reason flies into that terminal as wrll. I believe AA sends a mechanic onboard the flight in case it goes tech.

Is this JetBlue flight from FLL-HAV a Airbus A320 or a Embraer E-190 ?

A320 according to the link to the HAV arrivals info provided in post 4.

This is just my opinion. I think now that the previous Venezuelan "president" is dead, Ortega I think, Venezuela's support of Cuba will wain. After Fidel is dead, the American embargo of Cuba will most likely end.   

Quoting FWAERJ (Reply 7): IIRC, in addition to B6's FLL-HAV charters, I think NK does Cuba charters from FLL as well (which makes sense, as B6 and NK are fierce competitors from FLL). Ben Baldanza has also publicly said that should the rest of the travel embargo be lifted, that NK would love to do scheduled flights to Cuba.

I believe NK's only charter from FLL is to ZSA (San Salvador, Bahamas).

Quoting pvjin (Reply 9): Well at least places like Varadero and Holguin (with tourists mainly going to Guardalavaca) seem to receive plenty of Canadian holiday charters, if those hotels are good enough for them I guess they would be good enough for US Americans too.

Also with American traffic being different seasonally compared to Canada, there was always an issue with not being able to fill hotel rooms at certain resorts.. This could solve the Cubans problems and profit...

Quoting FWAERJ (Reply 7): Of course, even if the embargo were lifted tomorrow, there still wouldn't be enough hotel rooms in Cuba considered suitable by American standards. But that's a different story worthy of another thread.

Despite the dismal lack of information available to US consumers, there is a very robust and well developed tourism infrastructure in Cuba's beach resort regions that has been servicing Canadian and European markets for years. Granted, it's limited to the beach resort areas. There would still be a need for more hotel rooms in Havana for non-resort oriented tourism.

after the embargo on Cuba is lifted here my predictions.
American Airlines JFK-HAV,DFW-HAV, American Eagle MIA-HAV
JetBlue-JFK-HAV,FLL-HAV,MCO-HAV,maybe TPA-HAV
Spirit might try FLL-HAV
Delta ATL-HAV,Maybe MSY-HAV(inherited from Chicago & Southern in 1955)
Also do you think Cubana will order Boeing and Airbus planes?

Quoting NWAROOSTER (Reply 17): This is just my opinion. I think now that the previous Venezuelan "president" is dead, Ortega I think, Venezuela's support of Cuba will wain. After Fidel is dead, the American embargo of Cuba will most likely end.

Fidel is not the president anymore and the new president of Venezuela already had talks with the Cuban government and their relationship didn't change a thing.

Quoting doulasc (Reply 21): after the embargo on Cuba is lifted here my predictions. American Airlines JFK-HAV,DFW-HAV, American Eagle MIA-HAV JetBlue-JFK-HAV,FLL-HAV,MCO-HAV,maybe TPA-HAV Spirit might try FLL-HAV Delta ATL-HAV,Maybe MSY-HAV(inherited from Chicago & Southern in 1955) Also do you think Cubana will order Boeing and Airbus planes?

AA will be flying mainline on MIA-HAV, the market is so big that even with the embargo right now you get around 4-6 737's/MD80's and we are talking regular season; during the summer or Christmas you could easily double that amount.
From MIA there are also flights to CFG, CMW, HOG and SCU.

Once the travel restrictions are lifted you will expect all those destination to have increased flights plus added flights to VRA, CYO, CCC

United will be for sure doing flights to Cuba from EWR, where the second biggest concentration of Cuban American is located, the third largest group of Cubans in the US is located in the Los Angeles area.

That is only VFR base, to that you will need to add business travel and of course tourism

Quoting NWAROOSTER (Reply 17): This is just my opinion. I think now that the previous Venezuelan "president" is dead, Ortega I think, Venezuela's support of Cuba will wain. After Fidel is dead, the American embargo of Cuba will most likely end.

I doubt that we will see any real change in the political scheme of things from Cuba and Venezuela. Hugo Chavez was well loved and I don't think that there will be much of a change in political philosophy there and with Castro's brother in charge of Cuba, I would not hold my breath.

These two countries are still communist in their political stripe and we won't see any mass number of charters going to Cuba.

Quoting canadianpylon (Reply 10): Don't tell that to the thousands of Canadian tourists who fly to Holguin and Varadero every winter, or to the smattering of American tourists who cross the border to fly to Cuba for a winter retreat.

Americans can't fly to Cuba unless they have ties to Cuba through family. No matter what country they fly from.

Quoting rg787 (Reply 22): Quoting NWAROOSTER (Reply 17): This is just my opinion. I think now that the previous Venezuelan "president" is dead, Ortega I think, Venezuela's support of Cuba will wain. After Fidel is dead, the American embargo of Cuba will most likely end.   Fidel is not the president anymore and the new president of Venezuela already had talks with the Cuban government and their relationship didn't change a thing.

I did NOT say Fidel was still president. He is thought still the symbolic head of Cuba.
Cuba cannot survive on its own, it still relies on Venezuela.   

Quoting brilondon (Reply 24): Americans can't fly to Cuba unless they have ties to Cuba through family. No matter what country they fly from.

Officially...yes, but non-Cuban affiliated Americans fly down there all the time. A simple matter of dual citizenship in many cases i.e. U.S. and Mexican citizenship using the non-U.S. passport or in some cases (from Mexico) using "modified" documents of one kind or another which are "accepted" by the appropriate parties on either end. In a nutshell, most U.S. citizens are not authorized or supposed to travel to Cuba but........  

I can only imagine if the embargo is raised we would see hourly shuttle MIA-HAV with AA/MQ.

Quoting peteinmiami (Reply 23):

It would be interesting to see 9K in EYW-HAV... that would be a short flight (and many Cubans in Key West).

Quoting doulasc (Reply 21):

When the embargo is lifted AA will be flying an hourly shuttle between MIA and HAV given the Cuban government allows it. I wouldn't be surprised to see 763s on a route like that. Also would not be surprised to see 738s flying from MIA to other Cuban cities. Certainly Eagle to the other ones.

Quoting brilondon (Reply 24): Americans can't fly to Cuba unless they have ties to Cuba through family. No matter what country they fly from.

Not exactly. Visiting family is the most popular reason to fly to Cuba for a U.S. citizen but there are plenty of other reasons one can get permission to go there like education, charity, religious etc.. And of course this permission is needed for the U.S. to Cuba flights. Americans are known to go to Cuba without permission through other countries.

Quoting Viajero (Reply 26):

I don't think anything special with passport is necessary, after all foreign governments have no interests to block people with US passport from boarding flights that go to Cuba even if US government does so & in Cuba they won't stamp your passport.

Quoting FWAERJ (Reply 13):

You're correct. The other about you lack critical thinking skills.

Quoting bobloblaw (Reply 30):

Ugh stupid autocorrect. I meant those above you not you yourself.

Can't imagine why America is still so scared of Cuba after all these years. Won't be long before there will be hundreds of flights a week to HAV just hope the place retains its charm.

Quoting goosebayguy (Reply 32):

There will be and it won't.

Quoting doulasc (Reply 21): American Airlines JFK-HAV,DFW-HAV, American Eagle MIA-HAV

Not only MIA-HAV would be mainline, but also MIA-CFG, HOG or SCU for sure. This month AA had these charters to Cuba:

- MIA-HAV 1 daily 738
- MIA-CFG 2 weeky 738
- MIA-HOG 2 weekly 738

- TPA-HAV 1 weekly 738

American Eagle also operates 2 weekly flights between FLL and Guantanamo, routed MIA-FLL-NBW-FLL-MIA.

[Edited 2013-04-30 05:23:28]

Quoting doulasc (Reply 21): Also do you think Cubana will order Boeing and Airbus planes?

They already have Airbus equipment, from my memory, so nothing would stop them from getting more. Europe has no issues with Cuba, so the European aircraft manufacturers have no issue with Cuba.

Quoting brilondon (Reply 24): Americans can't fly to Cuba unless they have ties to Cuba through family. No matter what country they fly from.

There is the law, and there is reality. When it comes to Cuba, the law doesn't stop many people from going, without getting caught, on a regular basis. Heck, one could even go all the way to Spain and hop on a MAD-HAV flight if they wanted to. It can be done with surprising ease.

Quoting sw733 (Reply 35): They already have Airbus equipment, from my memory, so nothing would stop them from getting more. Europe has no issues with Cuba, so the European aircraft manufacturers have no issue with Cuba.

However Airbuses contain good amount of parts and technology made in the US, I think those prevent Airbus from selling planes to Cubana though I guess they could buy some used ones if Iranian airlines can do that, but still obtaining parts for maintenance could be difficult I guess.

I'm not sure if those A320's flying for Cubana are actually owned by them, at least before they were owned and operated by TACA, not sure if that has changed.

I remember back when UA was still flying MIA to South America they had a 777 that sat all day in MIA after arriving from Brazil early AM and not do out till late at night. It would sometimes do two turns back to back MIA-HAV-MIA-HAV-MIA and I believe it was a similar arrangement with a charter company as mention in reply 14 with AA.

And to add to the reasons many Americans do go to Cuba that have no ties there is the excellent Medical Care their and Cuba's reputation for having some of the worlds best doctors. Medical Tourism to Cuba is growing and will likely really take off for Americans when the Embargo is lifted see article below.

Cuba
Cuba has been a popular medical tourism destination for more than 40 years. Thousands of patients travel to Cuba, particularly from Latin America and Europe, attracted by the "fine reputation of Cuban doctors, the low prices and nearby beaches on which to recuperate."[66] In 2006, Cuba attracted nearly 20,000 medical tourists.[67]
Medical treatments included joint replacement, cancer treatment, eye surgery, cosmetic surgery and addictions rehabilitation. Costs are about 60 to 80 percent less than US costs.
Cuba has hospitals for Cuban residents and others that focus on serving foreigners and diplomats. In the 2007 American documentary film, Sicko, which criticizes the US healthcare system, producer Michael Moore leads a group of uninsured American patients to Cuba to obtain more affordable medical treatment. Sicko has greatly increased foreigners' interest in Cuban healthcare. A recent Miami Herald story focused on the high quality of health care that Canadian and American medical tourism patients receive in Cuba.[68]
The Cuban government has developed Cuban medical tourism to generate income for the country. Residents of Canada, the UK and most other countries can travel to Cuba without any difficulty, although a tourist visa is generally required. For Americans, however, because of the US trade policy towards Cuba, travelers must either obtain US government approval, or, more frequently, travel to Cuba from Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, To date no Cuban facility has achieved JCI Accreditation.[55]

Cheers

LGA777

Quoting brilondon (Reply 24): Quoting canadianpylon (Reply 10): Don't tell that to the thousands of Canadian tourists who fly to Holguin and Varadero every winter, or to the smattering of American tourists who cross the border to fly to Cuba for a winter retreat. Americans can't fly to Cuba unless they have ties to Cuba through family. No matter what country they fly from.

I think you missed his point. He didn't say they do it legally........

Quoting FWAERJ (Reply 13): IMO, the only reason why a bill hasn't been introduced to lift the embargo yet is because everyone in the House and Senate is fixated on domestic economic recovery. And I'm sure if such a bill hits the desk of the POTUS, it will get signed. Obama has already loosened many Cuban VFR restrictions and allowed US cellphone companies to build towers in Cuba, so I see no reason why he wouldn't lift the embargo as well.

It is still unlikely that the embargo will be lifted any time soon, basically because Florida is a swing state -- the Cuban community in Florida has extremely strong feelings on this issue and they WILL turn out to vote. It may happen once there's no longer a Castro running the country but there would probably also need to be changes in the ways the Cuban government handles dissent and treats political prisoners.

Quoting Viajero (Reply 26): In a nutshell, most U.S. citizens are not authorized or supposed to travel to Cuba but...

Technically, travel to Cuba is legal -- but U.S. nationals are not permitted to engage in travel-related transactions without a license from the the Dept. of the Treasury. The catch is basically that it would be virtually impossible to travel to Cuba and spend no money as part of the trip.

Quoting pa110 (Reply 20): Despite the dismal lack of information available to US consumers, there is a very robust and well developed tourism infrastructure in Cuba's beach resort regions that has been servicing Canadian and European markets for years.

The issue is not the lack of information; the issue would be the short-term utter inability of the supply in Cuba to meet the demand from the U.S. post-embargo.

Quoting realsim (Reply 34): American Eagle also operates 2 weekly flights between FLL and Guantanamo, routed MIA-FLL-NBW-FLL-MIA.

What is the logic of the stop in FLL?

Quoting SCQ83 (Reply 40): What is the logic of the stop in FLL?

Thats where the charter begins. MIA-FLL is a repositioning flight.

Quoting peteinmiami (Reply 23): Quoting doulasc (Reply 21): after the embargo on Cuba is lifted here my predictions. American Airlines JFK-HAV,DFW-HAV, American Eagle MIA-HAV JetBlue-JFK-HAV,FLL-HAV,MCO-HAV,maybe TPA-HAV Spirit might try FLL-HAV Delta ATL-HAV,Maybe MSY-HAV(inherited from Chicago & Southern in 1955) Also do you think Cubana will order Boeing and Airbus planes? AA will be flying mainline on MIA-HAV, the market is so big that even with the embargo right now you get around 4-6 737's/MD80's and we are talking regular season; during the summer or Christmas you could easily double that amount. From MIA there are also flights to CFG, CMW, HOG and SCU. Once the travel restrictions are lifted you will expect all those destination to have increased flights plus added flights to VRA, CYO, CCC United will be for sure doing flights to Cuba from EWR, where the second biggest concentration of Cuban American is located, the third largest group of Cubans in the US is located in the Los Angeles area. That is only VFR base, to that you will need to add business travel and of course tourism

AA would have service from all hubs (add CLT/PHL but not PHX with the merger) and I would think UA would add IAD as well. WN may enter as well via BWI or MDW

I wonder if B6 would attempt a BOS-HAV or BOS-VRA 1-2x weekly route after a while similar to PUJ service. I think in 10 years post Embargo the top 10-15 US metros may have some sort of service to HAV.

I have no idea why you all think that the Cubans will simply allow the lifting of the embargo to coincide with some massive uncontrolled influx of American business. They are smarter and more resourceful than that.

Airbus aircraft that fly for Cubana are usually wet leased with foreign nationals flying them. Cubana has not ever owned any Airbus aircraft due to the embargo by the United States. Wet leasing them solves the ownership, parts problem, maintenance and ownship problem with the embargo imposed by the United States.
Any American citizen can fly into Cuba if they really want to. They can either get permission from the US government base on some "necessary need." They can also fly there from from non US country and return to the country they simply flew to Cuba from. They just do not get their passports stamped by Cuba. Americans can figure out ways to have two passports and and use one for so called illicit travel.   

Wait a minute on Cubana not being able to operate Airbus due to US made components in them. In another thread someone stated that Cubana can't have Embraer planes either. Aerocaribbean operates Embraer E-110s which I do not think are in production anymore. Also ATR aircraft also. Do ATR turboprop planes have no US made components?

Not all Cubans in S Florida or the US agree with the embargo, many of he older Cubans who arrived in the US in the 60's and 70's agree with thos. However, many of the newer arrivals don't necesarily have the same mindset. My father was born in the island of Cuba and he himself does not agree with the embargp, then again he does not reside in MIami so he has a totally different mindset. I personally wish the embargo ends sooner than later, ths is affecting the people of Cuba not the Castro regime.

I was looking at numbers, and did not realize how big the cuban population was in Miami. I knew it big, but I was surprised by how big it was. Also, does somebody have updated stats showing the largest cuban populations in metropolitan areas (or cities?) in the US. Possibly top ten? Miami is one. Is NY two? Is Tampa really three? According to the link below, it says, "Tampa's Cuban-American community, which is the third largest in the nation, is a good bedrock for us to build upon." Also, I enjoy reading, and imagining flights, if and when the embargo is lifted. Some routes could definitely be added to new regions, as mentioned. Also, new carriers, and higher frequencies. But right now, as mentioned in the TBT article, the people who can fly are so limited.

In other related news, ABC charters is bringing back the TPA-HOG flight, after discontinuing it about two months ago. Read an article a couple months ago of the struggle the cuban charters had going to TPA. Competition and everything, these charters are a struggle, especially for a place like Tampa where the charters begin, and there is a rapid growth in flights. Now, once this is back, four weekly flights to Cuba, three to Havana and one to Holguin. http://www.tampabay.com/news/busines...olitical-market-turbulence/2107911

Quoting chepos (Reply 46): I personally wish the embargo ends sooner than later, ths is affecting the people of Cuba not the Castro regime.

Isn't Fidel about to join his friend, Hugo Chavez?

Quoting TPAfan (Reply 47): Tampa's Cuban-American community, which is the third largest in the nation

Don't doubt that for a moment.  

It would be great to see Cubana @ TPA. Doubt I'll see it in my lifetime.

[Edited 2013-05-02 21:58:57]

I just read on airchive.com a article called flying behind the coconut curtain about a trip from MIA-HAV. It states that the flight crew staff are not allowed off the aircraft to go into the terminal,The plane does not take on any services such as fuel,water or anything for the galley.The plane needs to turnaround the same day back to the US.

[Edited 2013-05-07 08:23:04]