• Submitted by: manso
• Politics and Government
• 09 / 09 / 2011

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By Chase Purdy. THE LEDGER. Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 10:54 p.m.LAKELAND | For the first time in more than 50 years, a Havana-bound airplane will take off from Tampa International Airport today.

No big deal for first-officer Robb Williams of Lakeland, who will have already been to Cuba once this morning. Williams, along with a co-pilot, will make history by navigating a Boeing 737 south 90 minutes to the Cuban capital, the inaugural trip from the Central Florida airport.

"I feel honored," Williams said. "I grew up here in the Tampa Bay area and I just feel honored to be a part of (the flight)."

For years, the United States government has restricted already limited travel to Cuba to three airports: Miami, New York and Los Angeles. But with the loosening of restrictions by President Barack Obama in January, 15 airports have been approved to offer chartered travel to the communist island country. While approval for travel to the island remains strict, Obama opened the door for an increase in educational travel, as well as greater access for families to re-connect.

Williams will be on a plane owned by Sky King Inc., a California-based company that's partnered with Xael Charters Inc. to provide access to Cuba. The first flight, already booked solid, will include local dignitaries from Tampa and the airport, said Eddie Levy, co-owner of Xael.

"This is very good for the Tampa area," Levy said. "Americans from anywhere in the U.S. can choose to fly from Tampa. We are very honored to have a part in this very historic event."

Levy said his company will offer one flight each week out of Tampa, with the hope of increasing services during the holiday season.

Tampa International Airport spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan said one other company, ABC Charters Inc., has teamed with American Airlines to offer a regular once-a-week flight to Cuba, as well. She said leaving from Tampa will help many people eliminate the unnecessary costs accrued by driving to Miami for flights.

"It's great for the families here in our area to be able to fly out of here," Geoghagan said. "This is a much more convenient location."

She said statistics gathered earlier in the year showed more than 140,000 Cuban-Americans within a two-hour drive from Tampa. Those numbers helped convince airport officials of the potential impact the service might make for the region.

Other businesses will benefit as well. In coming years, Insight Cuba hopes to expand its service to airports like Tampa. Since 2000, Insight has organized travel to Cuba as a way to introduce people to Cuban culture, or "People to People" travel, via the airport in Miami. Many of their flights connect Americans to needy organizations such as schools for the blind, said Insight spokeswoman Savina Perez.

"We provided travel between 2000 and 2003, but when Bush came to power, the People to People provision was carved out. It was not permitted," Perez said.

The group dissolved until 2011, when Obama ordered the initiative reinstated. "The great thing was that we were established, so we were able to get trips back up," she said. "We were one of the first to be licensed, and our first trip back to Cuba happened in mid-August."

Williams spoke by phone Wednesday evening during his long drive to Miami for work. Scheduled to fly from Miami to Havana this morning, and then from Havana to Tampa and back later in the day, the pilot said he got lucky in landing the historic assignment.

"It came out on the schedule, that's how it happened," he said, laughing. "I was just happy it was there for me."

[ Chase Purdy can be reached at 863-802-7516 ]

Source: /www.theledger.com/article/20110907/NEWS/110909545/1338/NEWS00?p=2&tc=pg