US airline JetBlue opens office in Cuba

Havana, Sep 2 (IANS) US airline JetBlue has opened an office in Cuba, exactly a year and a day after the company in 2016 resumed commercial air service between Havana and Washington.

"Our customers will receive personalised service and hospitality that distinguishes JetBlue. I am proud to open this ticket office and together we commemorate the start of the second year of commercial services in Cuba," Robin Hayes, CEO of JetBlue, told the media here on Friday.

On August 31, 2016, JetBlue became the first airline to operate the commercial flight in more than half a century.

Over the past year, the carrier has transported more than 390,000 passengers aboard approximately 2,000 flights between the two nations.

"JetBlue is proud to have introduced low rates and excellent service to the Cuban market and over the past year we have adjusted our capacity on the routes to Havana, Camaguey, Holguin and Santa Clara, maintaining the same number of flights," the executive added.

JetBlue's ticket and reservations office is located at Havana's Jose Marti International Airport.

Ibrahim Ferradaz, business director at the Cuban Aviation Corporation, said that the airlink between the two countries benefits both sides.

"These regular commercial flights also have an obvious and positive economic impact on the US, helping to create jobs and stabilise the market despite the limitations and restrictions caused by the economic blockade."

Currently, six US airlines, including JetBlue, American Airlines, Delta, United, Southwest and Alaska Airlines, fly regularly to different destinations in Cuba.

In 2016, 284,937 Americans travelled to Cuba, while 284,565 visited the Caribbean island country in the first five months of this year.

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