Historic first flight from Charlotte to Havana, Cuba, takes off Wednesday

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For the first time in 60 years, a direct flight from Charlotte to Havana, Cuba, takes off Wednesday morning.

Charlotte is one of only 10 cities in the nation to offer commercial flights to the island nation.

American Airlines officials at Charlotte Douglas airport held a celebration for employees and passengers before the flight took off around 8:50 a.m.

Each passenger got a chocolate cigar, a hat, a commemorative pin, a certificate and samples of Cuban food.

Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts opened and closed her speech about the significance of the flight in Spanish.

The flight is especially meaningful for its captain, Domingo Alfaro, who was born in Cuba and moved to the U.S. as a child.

He said he flew to Cuba several times in the 1980s, but pilots were not allowed to leave the plane then.

Passengers cannot fly as tourists to Cuba and instead must visit for one of 12 reasons, including family visits, religious activities or humanitarian projects.

A water cannon salute on Monday marked the first regularly scheduled commercial flight from Miami to Cuba.

Former Charlotte Mayor and U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx was on the American Airlines plane that made the trip.

American Airlines started flying to five other Cuban cities in September.

• Family visits
• Official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments and certain intergovernmental organizations
• Journalistic activities
• Professional research or professional meetings
• Educational activities and people-to-people exchanges
• Religious activities
• Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic or other competitions and exhibitions
• Support for the Cuban people
• Humanitarian projects
• Activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes
• Exportation, importation or transmission of information or informational materials
• Travel related to certain authorized export transactions

A traveler who doesn't meet the requirements can go to Cuba if he or she is a returning Cuban national or with a license issued by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control.

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