USDOT Authorizes Third U.S. Cargo Company To Operate Flights To Cuba

On 14 July 2021, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) granted an Emergency Exemption to Skyway Enterprises, Inc. and IBC Airways, Inc. to operate cargo flights from the United States to the Republic of Cuba through 30 November 2021. Swift Air, L.L.C. was awaiting authorization. 

On 13 October 2021, the USDOT granted an Emergency Exemption to Swift Air, L.L.C.  

Excerpts: 

Responsive Pleadings: On August 11, 2021, Viajehoy LLC, d/b/a Havana Air (Havana Air) filed a response to iAero’s application. Havana Air states that it does not object to the application and that if iAero’s application is approved, Havana Air shall also seek flying weekly rotating flights to serve Santiago de Cuba and Camagüey with one of its DOT approved carriers.  

Decision: We have decided to grant iAero’s application in part, for an exemption to operate cargo-only charter flights, and to deny the application to the extent iAero seeks to provide passenger charters. Our actions in the January 10, 2020 Notice suspending the authority of public charter operators to serve points in Cuba other than Havana, and in Order 2020-8-4 suspending carriers’ U.S.-Cuba charter authority were taken at the request of the U.S. Department of State, which expressly cited the foreign policy interests of the United States in its January 7, 2020 letter and its August 13, 2020 letter requesting the suspensions. We consulted with the Department of State to determine whether it regards the proposed iAero flights to be in the foreign policy interests of the United States and to be consistent with the exceptions to the suspension of charters between the United States and Cuba set forth in Order 2020-8-4.  

On October 12, 2021, after considering the specific circumstances presented, the Department of State provided its view that only the cargo portion of the proposed humanitarian operation would be in the foreign policy interests of the United States, and would be consistent with the Department of State’s specified exceptions to the suspension of charter flights between the United States and Cuba. Against this background, we find that it would be in the public interest to grant the requested exemption in part, to operate the proposed flights as cargo only, and to deny the application to the extent the applicant seeks to provide passenger services.  

As a final matter, we remind the applicant that a number of significant limitations and requirements remain in place concerning air transportation between Cuba and the United States. Nothing in the Department’s award of authority will relieve any party from complying with all applicable regulations and requirements of other U.S. agencies and with all applicable laws of the United States. 

LINK to notification in PDF Format  

LINKS To Previous Analyses: 

USDOT Authorizes Cargo Flights From United States To Six Airports In Cuba Through 30 November 2021 August 15, 2021

U.S. Department Of Transportation Limits Cuba Charter Flights To 3,600 Annually May 28, 2020 

“iAero Group is a purpose-driven, privately-held company that was founded in 2018 to create the leading investment platform to transform and scale high-growth potential companies in the aviation industry.  To date, iAero Group has acquired three companies: engine MRO AeroThrust Holdings (Miami, FL) in 2018, airframe MRO Miami Tech Aircraft Maintenance (Miami, FL) in 2018, and the largest charter airline in the US, Swift Air (Greensboro, NC), in 2019. iAero Group partnered with The Blackstone Group to help finance these transactions. Since then, these operating companies have been rebranded to iAero Thrust, iAero Tech, and iAero Airways.” 

MIAMI, May 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- iAero Group, a leading integrated aviation platform business headquartered at Miami International Airport, completed the acquisition of Swift Air, the leading independent airline charter business in the United States. Swift Air now joins engine MRO AeroThrust and airframe MRO AeroTech under the iAero Group integrated aviation platform family.  Swift Air will now have access to iAero Group's MRO capabilities to build and maintain the highest quality and most flexible fleet of aircraft in the market to deliver even higher levels of customer satisfaction. In addition, Swift Air will be able to reduce cost, increase in-service rates, and extend the life of their fleet.  "We are extremely excited to welcome Swift Air to our family of businesses," said iAero Group Chief Executive Officer, Robert Caputo. "Swift Air will immediately benefit from our MRO and aircraft refurbishment capabilities and can further expand its capacity with our owned Boeing 737 aircraft."  Jeff Conry, Swift Air's Chief Executive Officer said, "we have been looking forward to joining iAero Group to leverage their capabilities to provide industry leading aircraft and service levels and have access to new capital to refresh and expand our fleet." 

About iAero Group

iAero Group (https://iaerogroup.com), based in Miami, FL, is an integrated aviation platform business providing a full range of services including charter airline, engine and airframe MRO, and aircraft and engine leasing. The companies within the iAero Group family include charter airline Swift Air, engine MRO AeroThrust, and airframe MRO AeroTech. Through this combination of leading companies in the aircraft charter and MRO industries, iAero Group has created unique capabilities, including a full range of aviation offerings with safety, quality, and cost advantages that benefit all customers. iAero Group is supported by Blackstone/GSO, one of the world's leading investment firms, who holds a minority interest in iAero Group.