• Submitted by: manso
• Travel and Tourism
• 04 / 09 / 2011

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By RONNIE CROCKER. HOUSTON CHRONICLE. April 8, 2011, 10:24PM. Houston Airport System officials are evaluating the market potential for charter flights to Cuba after Bush Intercontinental Airport was named one of 10 U.S. airports that can begin offering such flights in limited situations.

"We're going to do everything we can to position Houston as a gateway to Cuba," said Genaro Peña, air service development director for the airport system.

Peña said the system has been in "very preliminary" discussions with several, mostly Florida-based operators already authorized for such flights. He said no individuals or groups have inquired about arranging trips yet.

The charter-only flights would be limited to family visits and trips for authorized groups in a small number of specific areas, including agriculture, medicine, education and religious activity.

"The door is open maybe half an inch, maybe an inch," Peña said. "It's very limited."

Still, he called it "a real exciting opportunity for us."

Until recently, only three domestic airports were authorized to offer charter service to the island country, the subject of a U.S. embargo that has been in place for half a century.

The Obama administration, while maintaining the embargo, has ordered the easing of some prohibitions on Cuban travel and other interactions. On March 24, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection expanded to 13 the airports that can offer charter service.

Bush Intercontinental and Dallas-Fort Worth International were the only Texas airports on the list.

Also included were airports in Atlanta, Baltimore, New Orleans, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Tampa, Fla., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Previously, flights could be arranged only from Miami International, Los Angeles International and New York's John F. Kennedy International airports.

Peña said Houston is in a position to benefit from increased Cuba travel because of its airport capacity and experience in Spanish-speaking countries. Plus, he said, there is likely customer demand from groups involved in Texas agriculture and the universities and the medical industry prominent in the Houston area.

Peña said the potential could be even bigger if the U.S. were to end the embargo altogether.

"We want to make sure if that happens that Houston is a gateway to that part of the Caribbean," he said.

Source: www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/biz/7514072.html