January 29, 2015 
In This Week's Issue:

U.S. Business Travel to Cuba: Less Complicated But Still Not Easy 

Exploring the practical implications of U.S. policy changes

By Doreen Hemlock

 

Business travelers from the United States now can visit Cuba more easily. President Barack Obama's new policy to Cuba, announced Dec. 17, softens the U.S. embargo on the communist-led island and offers the most open access for U.S. travelers in half a century.

 

The new U.S. policy lets Americans in 12 categories visit Cuba under a "general' license instead of a "specific" one, a change that saves time and money. The dozen categories encompass some business travel, including trips to attend exhibits, for professional research and related to authorized U.S. exports. In theory, qualified U.S. business travel to Cuba now should be as simple as asking any U.S. travel agent to book a flight and a hotel. But the reality remains more complicated, executives say.

 

Working With Specialists Eases Arrangements

Because the only direct U.S.-Cuba flights are charters and because most U.S. travel agents lack Cuba experience, individuals may prefer to work through specialists who know the Cuban ropes. Those are mainly small firms that have been licensed for years by the U.S. federal government to arrange charters and handle the limited amount of authorized travel to Cuba, such as ABC Charters, Marazul and Island Travel & Tours.

 

Veteran providers of U.S.-Cuba travel also can help U.S. citizens apply for business visas or other authorizations that may be required from Cuba's government. Visa requests generally take weeks - and sometimes months - to process. "People sometimes forget this is a two-way-street. You need Cuban approvals too," says Pedro Freyre, chair of the international practice group at law firm Akerman in Miami. "Leave yourself time."

 

Spending in Cuba

Washington's new policy also allows the use of U.S. credit and debit cards in Cuba, but systems to handle those cards will take time to deploy. U.S. visitors to Cuba still need to take plenty of cash, in part to pay for high-priced Internet in those select places where it is available, experts advise.

 

After a visit, U.S. business travelers also must keep records of their Cuba trip for three years. This includes everything from hotel receipts to a log of meetings. U.S. officials may never request that paperwork. But with the U.S. embargo still in place and leisure tourism to Cuba still off-limits, "what they're trying to avoid," says Freyre, "are junkets to Varadero Beach and carousing."

 

United States and Cuba by Zleitzen via Wikimedia Commons
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Delta

New Los Angeles to Managua Seasonal Service Starts June 5:  Delta Air Lines will be the only carrier flying nonstop weekly between Los Angeles and the Nicaraguan capital when it begins Friday night service from L.A. on June 5 and Saturday service from Managua on June 6

 

Delta Adds Special Nonstop Flights, Bumps Capacity to and From Phoenix for Super Bowl:  Flights between Phoenix and Boston, Los Angeles and Seattle accommodate passengers traveling to and from the pro football championship game

 

Travel News

Manhattan - Storm Juno

U.S. East Coast Storm Update

Airlines canceled more than 6,800 flights this week in anticipation of a major winter storm threatening the U.S. Northeast. Flights were grounded at major airports including New York-John F. Kennedy, Newark (New Jersey) Liberty, New York-LaGuardia, Boston Logan and Philadelphia.

 

New Airline Routes and Route Changes

Mexico and South America

Aeromexico will begin four weekly flights between Mexico City and Medellin, Colombia on March 2.

 

Aerolineas Argentinas has added thrice-weekly service connecting Buenos Aires and Caracas with Punta Cana International Airport and twice-weekly service connecting the cities to Cancún International Airport. Both flights will originate via a Buenos Aires-Caracas route.

 

Air Europa will cancel the Santiago de Chile leg of its Madrid - Salvador da Bahia, Brazil - Santiago route after March 4.

 

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will add three weekly flights between Holland and Colombia on an Amsterdam Airport Schiphol - Bogota El Dorado International Airport - Cali Palmaseca International Airport route beginning March 31.

 

Sunwing Vacations has launched direct service between Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport in Manitoba, Canada and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International Airport in Mexico.

 

Caribbean

Beginning January 31, Brazil-based GOL Airlines will extend one weekly service on its Sao Paulo - Barbados route to Tobago.

 

Delta Air Lines has added several new routes between New York -JFK and the Caribbean, including two weekly flights between JFK and Barbados and Saturday flights between JFK and Grand Cayman, Kingston, Jamaica and Saint Lucia.

 

International Connections

Delta Air Lines will begin its first nonstop service between London-Heathrow and Newark Liberty International Airport on March 29.

 

American Airlines and British Airways will partner to offer four daily direct flights between Los Angeles International Airport and London Heathrow Airport beginning in March. Each airline will operate two of the flights. 

 

Delta will begin weekly flights between Nice's Côte d'Azur Airport and New York - JFK on March 29, upping service to daily flights on May 2.

  

On March 5, American Airlines will launch new service between Miami International Airport and four other U.S. cities: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas; San Antonio International Airport in San Antonio, Texas; Kansas City International Airport in Kansas City, Missouri; and Salt Lake City International Airport in Salt Lake City, Utah.

 

Air Europa will launch a thrice-weekly Madrid-Tel Aviv, Israel route on March 30.


 

City Transportation Services 

Gotham Air

Newly formed Gotham Air now offers helicopter transportation between New York's John F. Kennedy International and Newark Liberty International airports and three heliports in Manhattan (New York City), for between US$199 and US$219 per trip. The service cuts what can be as long as a two-hour drive to about six minutes. The company keeps costs low by flying a helicopter only if at least four passengers have booked seats on it, and plans to offer a regular flight schedule by mid-year. It is currently offering first-time customers flights for US$99.

 

Airline Alliance News

United Arab Emirates-based Etihad Airways will begin codeshare partnership with Aerolineas Argentinas, with AR operating 15 flights out of Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery Airport.

 

South African Airways will expand its codeshare service with Etihad Airways on 10 new routes in India, Ireland, Korea and Japan.

 

QATAR Airways will expand its codeshare agreement with Bangkok Airways on seven new routes out of Bangkok and Phuket, Thailand, as well as Singapore.

 

Other Airline News

United Airlines will upgrade dining for First and Business Class passengers with new entree offerings, 25 rotating snacks, expanded meal service on flights that least between four hours and five hours and 19 minutes and meals on all flights of at least 800 miles during dining hours (the minimum had been 900 miles). Beginning Feb. 1, new meal options will include a cage-free scrambled egg, vegetable, cheese and sausage skillet; lobster macaroni and cheese; and chicken and sausage jambalaya.

 

Loyalty Program News

American Airlines is offering double miles on routes between North America and Tokyo, Seoul and Hong Kong, including flights operated by joint-venture partner Japan Airlines. The airline is also offering double AAdvantage miles on

 several intra-Asia routes via JAL.

 

Hilton HHonors members can earn up to 10,000 bonus points for qualifying stays at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad hotels throughout 2015.

 

Hotel News

New York City's 220-room Dream Midtown (formerly Dream New York) has completed phase one of a $20 million renovation with a complete redesign of lobby, guest rooms and suites. Phase two will be completed this spring with the opening of a 4,000 square-foot, bi-level rooftop lounge.

 

Intercontinental Hotels Group's Hotel Indigo brand will now partner with food and drink artisans from each hotel's surrounding community to offer guests a new food and beverage experience.

 

Hotel Pipeline

The 1,800-room, all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Cancun will open in late 2017. The resort will include six restaurants, five bars, a multi-acre lagoon pool and multiple entertainment venues.

  

Manhattan - Storm Juno by MTAPhotos; Gotham Air courtesy Gotham Air

 
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