Above: Trinidad, Cuba
By the Caribbean Journal staff
JetBlue has been on a rapid expansion push in the Caribbean of late, with new additions like Trinidad, Curacao and Cartagena.
But it has its eyes on another market: Cuba, should travel (and air travel) to the island become fully legal.
“JetBlue is interested in providing additional service to Cuba from multiple U.S. cities as soon as legally permitted,” the company said in a release addressing the recently-announced Cuba trade mission planned by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. “JetBlue’s continued expansion in the Caribbean and Latin America, where one third of its network is operated, reflects the company’s network growth strategy in high-value geographies.”
It wouldn’t be the carrier’s first flights into Cuba, however.
For more than three years, JetBlue has actually been offering charter flights to Cuba from both Tampa and Fort Lauderdale, serving Cuban destinations including Havana and Santa Clara.
On the planned Cuomo trip, Robert Land, senior vice president for government affairs and associate general counsel at JetBlue, said “the Governor’s vision for shaping responsible economic development with Cuba and investing in a world-class travel experience for New Yorkers are two important efforts to help our home state compete on the world stage.”
Of course, JetBlue is just one of a number of carriers interested in the potential opening of the Cuban market.
But JetBlue’s recent surge in the Caribbean suggests it may be uniquely positioned to do so, particularly out of its nearby Fort Lauderdale focus city.