 "US, Cuba near deal on restoring commercial flights")
The US and Cuba are close to a deal on restoring regularly scheduled commercial flights, Cuban and American officials have said on the eve of the anniversary of detente between the Cold War foes.
The diplomatic advance would help open the way for US airlines to begin flying to Cuba within months in what would likely be the biggest step toward tighter economic ties since the two countries began normalising relations last year.
Officials on both sides said yesterday they had reached an understanding on key points and hoped to reach a formal deal within hours or days.
Teams who have been meeting since Monday in Washington "have made important advances in negotiating a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on establishing regular flights between Cuba and the United States, and shortly they will be ready to announce a preliminary agreement on this issue," said Josefina Vidal, head of North American affairs for Cuba's foreign ministry.
State Department spokeswoman Kerry Humphrey said yesterday that the countries "are making progress but still negotiating."
Right now, American and Cuban travellers must fly on charter flights that are expensive and difficult to book, forcing travellers to buy paper tickets in Cuba or email documents and payment information back and forth with an agent in the US. Those flying often must arrive at the airport four hours in advance and pay high prices for baggage in excess of strict weight limits.
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US officials and aviation executives have speculated that Cuba could allow more than a dozen flights to and from the US a day. It's unclear if those flights would completely replace charters, but they appear certain to create a surge in travel that would place heavy strain on Cuba's already over-strained tourist infrastructure. Hotels and private hostels are booked for months.
Authorised American travel to the island is up 50% this year, Jeffrey DeLaurentis, who heads the US Embassy in Havana, said on Tuesday. While the majority of US travellers are Cuban-Americans, there has been a sharp rise in Americans travelling for specially authorised purposes, particularly on educational tours known as people-to-people travel.
Among Obama's regulatory changes this year was one permitting such travel to Cuba without specific Treasury Department permission.