Delta, United Airlines delay resumption of flights to Cuba

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced that Delta Air Lines and United Airlines would be temporarily permitted to delay resuming flights to Cuba as they work to address logistical issues.

According to Reuters.com, the USDOT said it would require United to resume service no later than December 1 and Delta no later than March 26, 2023. Officials from both airlines have been working to restart flights to Havana, but have faced issues reestablishing service.

United representatives said the carrier previously flew seven flights weekly to the Cuban capital from Houston and Newark, but needed to “undertake significant work including re-negotiating multiple contracts with service providers that have lapsed, building out necessary infrastructure in Terminal 3 at Havana’s airport where United is being relocated.”

Delta is permitted to fly 21 weekly flights between the U.S. and Cuba—14 from Miami and seven from Atlanta—but the carrier said it “needs additional time to ensure reintroduction of safe, efficient and sustainable service to Havana.”

The Atlanta-based airline said it could take up to six months to reestablish the “necessary IT infrastructure to handle passenger needs in Havana and faces ongoing challenges in securing visas for personnel to travel to Cuba for both pre- and post-launch staffing.

The U.S lifted restrictions on flights to Cuba earlier this year, and President Joe Biden agreed to expand flights to Havana last month, with American Airlines adding 13 weekly departures and one weekly JetBlue flight.