US Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx and Cuba´s Minister of Transportation Adel Yzquierdo presided over the ceremony where the groundbreaking document was penned.

The MoU makes effective provisions to facilitate trips between the two nations, as well as cargo transportation. Secretary Fox said this was a new beginning for transportation between the two neighboring nations that will enable wider exchanges between the Cuban and the American people.

Minister Yzquierdo said this agreement marks the conclusion of an intense process of bilateral technical conversations that started in March 2015, and it was based on mutual respect and reciprocity.

Now Cuban and American airlines can sign commercial agreements, on civil aviation, leasing of airplanes between them an dthir countries and other activities related to the air industry.

Secretary Fox said the goal is to have 110 daily flights: 20 to Havana, and 10 a piece for the other 9 Cuban international airports. He added he had instructed his office to place a bid this morning for US carriers interested in offering services in Cuba.

It was also known that it will take months for these regular flights to start because they still need to work on which airlines will  flight between the two countries, routes, schedules and complex technical details on air safety and civil aviation.

The present agreement will not hamper charter flights that filled the void of direct flights for decades, Secretary Fox said.

Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Charles Rivkin and Alfredo Cordero Puig, president of the Cuban Institute of Civil Aeronautics signed the document.

{flike} {plusone} {ttweet}