LatinWeek

Cuba: On 31 March figures from charter airlines showed that the number of flights between the US and Cuba have increased by between 150% and 200% in the first quarter of 2010 compared with the same period of 2008. The increase is a result of the lifting of restrictions last year on travel, between Cuba and the US. The main beneficiaries of this surging trade are the eight US-based charter flight companies who operate the only flights allowed from the US. The charter companies say direct flights are up by 36%, year-on-year, after increasing by 70% in 2009. The charter companies say direct flights by Cuban Americans increased again by 36% so far this year on top of 70% growth for 2009. Cuban officials recently said about 250,000 Cuban exiles visited the island from the US in 2009, up from an estimated 170,000 in 2008 when direct flights were barred.