Delta Air Lines Terminating Six Flights Per Week From JFK To Havana; Retains One Flight; Seeks One MIA-HAV Flight
/8 December 2017
Mr. Brian Hedberg
Director, Office of International Aviation Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, D.C. 20590
Re: 2016 U.S.-Cuba Frequency Allocation Proceeding (Docket DOT-OST-2016-0021)
Dear Mr. Hedberg:
In the Department’s 2016 Allocation Proceeding, Delta Air Lines, Inc. (“Delta”) was awarded frequencies to operate daily service from New York to Havana (JFK-HAV), along with service to Havana from Miami (MIA) and Atlanta (ATL). (DOT Order 2016-8-38). Delta has invested significant resources to establish and support its new service to Havana and appreciates the time and effort the Department put into this proceeding. However, recent regulatory changes have resulted in lower demand for travel to Cuba from areas outside of South Florida. In particular, traffic on Delta’s service to Havana from JFK has diminished substantially.
Effective February 1, 2018, Delta will terminate service on Sunday to Friday and return those frequencies to the Department. Delta will continue to maintain and operate once-weekly, Saturday round-trip service between JFK-HAV.
In light of the Department’s ongoing 2017 Allocation Proceeding, Delta wished to notify the Department and other interested parties of its plans. For the sake of administrative efficiency and to maximize the utilization of these assets for the traveling public, Delta would have no objection if the Department reallocates the six once-a-day frequencies being returned as part of its current Proceeding. If awarded, Delta also remains excited about starting a second daily flight from Miami to bring additional service to this important gateway.
Respectfully submitted,
Alexander Krulic
Associate General Counsel Regulatory & International Affairs
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Supplemental Filing Seeking One MIA-HAV Route
