By Jose Carlos de Santiago (aboard JetBlue’s inaugural flight to Cuba)
JetBlue’s inaugural flight to Cuba arrived on August 31 in the city of Santa Clara. One of the VIPs traveling on this opening trip -the first regular flight by a U.S. carrier in more than five decades- was no other than Robin Hayes, the airline’s president and CEO.“I’m so proud to land in Cuba,” Mr. Hayes beamed as he said words of praise for the introduction and the warm welcome he and his entourage received in the city of Santa Clara in central Cuba.
“I’m so proud to have landed in Cuba aboard this inaugural commercial flight between our two countries in over fifty years,” Mr. Hayes went on to say.
His appreciation went out to all persons and institutions, both in Cuba and in the U.S., that worked so hard to make this opening flight possible, the one that resumed regular commercial routes between Cuba and the United States.
He also thanked U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx -he also came on the flight and was the first to show up at the hatch- for traveling to the island nation aboard JetBlue.
“We want to be the best airline in the flights between Cuba and the U.S., the favorite carrier, and in doing so we must honor our commitment to mankind,” Mr. Hayes told guests and members of the press gathered at the Abel Santamaria Airport’s VIP Lounge in the city of Santa Clara.
“We’d like to build solid and longstanding ties between JetBlue and Cuba’s aviation authorities,” the airline’s president and CEO said.
JetBlue started a rock-solid relationship with Cuba five years ago as the company began serving the island nation with charter flights. Mr. Hayes said the cooperation with Cuban authorities since then has been superb. He also praised the fine airport infrastructure Cuba’s terminals boast to accept flights from the U.S.
In November, JetBlue will enhance its flights to Cuba with the addition of routes to Camaguey and Holguin, in eastern Cuba, and hopes to start flying from three other American cities that await DOT’s clearance to fly to Cuba.
Source:www.caribbeannewsdigital.com
