Havana Air to Launch Online Bookings

Havana Air, a charter carrier to Cuba based in Miami, will launch an automated booking system on Jan. 1 for direct flight bookings to Cuba via the airline's website.

Travelers will be able to book their flight reservations and access and submit the required authorization forms and visa purchases for travel to Cuba.

The carrier's online reservation system is capable of integrating with the major GDSs, according to Mark Elias, president.

"The booking platform has two portals, one for the general public and one for preferred tour operators, which allows Havana Air to track revenue by tour operators and allows operators to manage inventory," Elias said.

Havana Air works with its sister company Cultural Explorations, a tour operator that provides Cuba programs, but it also works with other operators as well on Cuba tours.

Although the U.S. and Cuba have agreed to restore direct, commercial flights between the two countries, until that happens "there isn't a way for travelers or agents to do direct bookings for flights to Cuba," Elias said. "Through our system, users will be able to handle everything from our website, making travel planning to Cuba a much simpler process for the industry."

"We support expanded access for U.S. travelers and applaud the administration's efforts to give people the opportunity to discover the island. Through our years of experience, Havana Air has developed the knowledge and resources required to provide the service that travelers look for when planning their journey. This expertise is critical when traveling to Cuba as it is a process that is still widely unfamiliar," he said.

The carrier, established in 2008, serves Havana, Santa Clara, Camaguey, Holguin and Santiago, Cuba, from Miami and Key West with more than 75 flights a month using 737-800 aircraft.

Source: Travel Weekly