Tampa Airport Lobbying U.S. Authorities to Get Cuba Flights

Tampa International Airport has mounted what officials call a "full court press" to lobby the U.S. Department of Transportation for some of the limited commercial flights to Havana expected to begin later this year.

Whether or not it pays off, the campaign is unmatched by those Florida airports competing for the flights and by many airports outside the state, as well.

Beginning Monday and running through the end of this week, Cuban music is playing throughout Tampa International's main terminal between airsides E and F. Entertainers also are performing dances from the islands nation.

And of course, as is the case throughout much of Tampa, Cuban coffee and sandwiches are being served -- but here, they're free.

Everyone lured in by the party and even those just walking by rolling suitcases can sign a petition asking the transportation department to choose Tampa.

The petition is available online, too, and the airport is pushing a letter-writing campaign among local government officials as well as the businesses and organizations that fly the airport's existing seven weekly charter flights to Cuba and asking they write letters in support of commercial services there.

The airport also has a team of executives analyzing every competitor mentioned by the airlines in applications they submitted to the transportation department by a March 2 deadline, in hopes of proving Tampa would be a better host. The fruits of the campaign will be gathered and submitted Monday.

"This is organic," said Chris Minner, Tampa International's vice president of marketing. "Tampa International Airport is taking the lead in preparing this procedural filing but we are just representing the community that wants Cuba flights from Tampa."

Only 20 flights at most each day to Havana are available under a non-binding arrangement reached between the U.S. and Cuba in February. But 13 airlines are known to have applied for more than 50 daily flights there from over a dozen American cities.

Two major air carriers, JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines, requested two daily flights from Tampa to Havana in their applications but neither lists Tampa as the top choice.

Regional carrier Silver Airways requested as its preference four flights linking Tampa to Havana, two with stops in Palm Beach and two with stops in Jacksonville. It is now up to the transportation department to decide what airports receive the flights.

Tampa International officials are determined to do all they can ensure their site is chosen. The competition comes as the airport makes a priority of international flights, adding nonstops in recent years to locations such as Switzerland, Panama and Germany.

At stake in the Cuba decision could be the efforts of many of Tampa's leaders to make the area the U.S. hub for Cuban business and culture -- status that requires the ease of travel afforded by commercial flights.

That desire, Minner said, coupled with a large Cuban American population and a history of success of Tampa International's charter flights to the island nation since 2011, is this area's strongest argument.

Source: Aviation Pros