Cuba Travel Service reinstates direct flights between Los Angeles and Havana

Cuba Travel Services, Inc., [2] (tel. 1-800-963-2822) plans to reintroduce direct non-stop flights to Havana from Los Angeles for Cuban-Americans living on the West Coast. The move restores flight service that was shut down in 2004 when the Bush administrtion imposed harsh new restrictions on family visits by Cuban Americans; in April, 2009, President Obama lifted all restrictions for family visits to Cuba.

Other individuals licensed to travel to Cuba will also be able to utilize the weekly flights, which in the past have been operated by United Airlines. Additional direct flights to Havana (and elsewhere in Cuba) operate from Miami and New York.

Cuba Travel Services is licensed by the U.S. Treasury Dept. [3] to offer charters to licensed travelers, such as journalists, government officials and researchers that qualify under a general license; and sports teams, religious organizations, and students and educational groups or individuals who qualify for and are issued a specific license to travel.

The company is headquartered in Long Beach, California and has offices in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico and both Doral and Hialeah, Florida.