(VOVworld) – US airlines are looking to serve Cuba primarily from their largest hub cities, with Havana being the most popular destination. At least eight carriers submitted applications to the US Department of Transportation on Wednesday outlining what routes they would like to fly.
American Airlines has requested 20 flights to Havana plus service to five, smaller Cuban cities. Alaska Airlines wants to start a twice daily service between Los Angeles and Havana. Other airlines include Delta, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and Silver Airways.
The government will spend the next few months reviewing the requests and is expected to award the contested Havana routes this summer. Once routes are awarded, airlines will still need time to develop schedules and actually sell seats on the flights. And while the US government will set the routes, airlines will also need to apply to Cuba's civil aviation authority for permits to operate in the country.