The team at Jet Linx Aviation is excited to provide members with a new service – flights from any gateway airport in the United States to a 12 airports throughout Cuba, including Havana.
As a result of numerous inquiries and feedback that indicated a clear desire from our clients to travel to Cuba, Jet Linx has made the arrangements necessary to offer this service to our Jet Card clients and aircraft owners. We are thrilled to expand our existing international service options to include Cuba. Given the mass appeal this destination has already generated, we are excited to continue that momentum by bringing the Jet Linx experience to our clients while also setting a high standard within the private jet sector.
As a source of private aviation and travel intelligence, Jet Linx noticed a rising trend among travelers who sought after more exotic travel experiences, and thus we made it a priority to make transportation to Cuba an option for our clients. While this is very exciting for both the company and our clients, various restrictions still apply when traveling to Cuba, and trips to the area require careful planning. For this reason, we encourage our clients who are interested in traveling to Cuba with Jet Linx to contact their local Base Client Services Team for next steps.
Getting authorization to service flights to Cuba was no easy task, but rather a patient process. The first step was to receive approval from the FAA for operations into Cuba, which Jet Linx achieved earlier this year. We were able to achieve this approval because we have the proper tools and resources to service flights to and from Cuba, including equipment, maps, and speed limit conversions (from miles to kilometers). Once we received FAA approval, we needed to address the next challenge, which is allowing for significant time to plan in advance for travel to Cuba. All passengers are required to have a Visa and landing permits for the aircraft must be obtained as well. There is more advanced planning that must go into traveling to Cuba than most trips in order to ensure that all of the proper permits, Visas, handling arrangements and authorizations are completed prior to all operations to Cuba. The Jet Linx team is prepared to help address these special needs in order to adhere to our high quality and standards of customer service. Additionally, any passengers interested in flying to Cuba are required to secure permission according to 31 CFR § 515.560.
Although doors to the U.S. have been reopened, Cuba still does not consider tourism to be a valid reason for entry. Valid reasons for entry include official U.S., foreign or nongovernmental organization business; journalistic activity; professional research and meetings; educational or religious activities; public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; support for the Cuban people; and humanitarian projects.
One of the challenges faced by any operator flying into the country is collaborating with the Cuban authorities. In another country, we must comply with their rules and regulations for everything to run smoothly. In the case of Cuba, there is documentation required by the Cuban government, specifically the Cuba Instituto de Aeronáutica Civil de Cuba (CAA), which presents challenges to both travelers as well as flight operators. The CAA needs to verify who is receiving the passengers when they arrive and the requirement asks for a professional sponsor based in Cuba. The Cuban government checks these sponsors to authenticate and confirm that travelers are in fact going for the reasons they say they are and only then will the CAA approve the flight plan.
To date, we have completed two flights to Cuba with plans for more. We encourage anyone planning on flying into Cuba to allow themselves plenty of time for appropriate planning. Our team is standing by to expertly handle our next Cuba-bound flight!
Jamie Walker is President & CEO of Jet Linx Private Aviation. Jamie is responsible for the business development and strategic vision of Jet Linx, including the launch of its Jet Card, Aircraft Management, and Base Partner programs. Jamie works daily with Jet Linx team members and Base Partners to further develop and enhance the company’s programs, sales and marketing, branding, culture and industry relationships.
