NEW YORK – JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU), the largest airline to the Caribbean, today (Feb. 12) announced an agreement with its partner, ABC Charters, to add a new charter flight to Cuba beginning this summer.
The weekly flight, which begins on June 5, will operate on Fridays from Tampa (TPA) to Havana (HAV). JetBlue will have the most flights to Cuba from Tampa. Travelers should make arrangements directly with ABC Charters (www.abc-charters.com).
The addition marks one of the first expansions in charter service by a major U.S. airline since restrictions on travel to Cuba were eased in January.
“Cuba will one day play an important role in our overall Caribbean network, a region where customer response has already helped us grow into the leading U.S. airline,” said Scott Laurence, senior vice president, airline planning, JetBlue. “Expanding our charter program today reflects the thoughtful approach we are taking in Cuba over the long-term.”
JetBlue will now have four weekly round trips to Cuba. In addition to the new Friday flight, JetBlue and ABC Charters operate weekly flights from Tampa to Havana on Tuesdays and from Tampa to Santa Clara (SNU) on Wednesdays. JetBlue also operates flights between Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Havana through Xael Charters on Fridays. JetBlue is currently evaluating opportunities to add additional charter flights.
JetBlue serves all charter flights to Cuba on its Airbus A320, which are configured with 150 leather seats, the most legroom in coach of any U.S. carrier*, large overhead bins, free live seatback entertainment, and free snacks.
“Travelers to Cuba would prefer to fly in a roomy and comfortable aircraft with an airline they know and trust,” said Laurence. “By expanding our charter program, we are able to bring the JetBlue experience that customers love, on our modern fleet of aircraft, to even more people making their way to Cuba.”
JetBlue began flying to Cuba for charter companies in 2011. The airline’s leadership in the Caribbean and valuable operational experience in Cuba positions it well to offer additional service to Cuba from multiple U.S. cities as soon as permissible by law.
