iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Ever since relations between Cuba and the U.S. have thawed, dozens of flights to and from both countries began popping up, with the inaugural JetBlue flight from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Santa Clara, Cuba taking place last August.
But now, airlines are finding that the demand just isn’t there, especially for flights to airports outside Havana.
Late last year, American Airlines began reducing the number of flights to Cuba, and now, JetBlue is also cutting back on its service to the island.
“We are continuing to operate our schedule of nearly 50 weekly round trip Cuban flights but have made adjustments to our fleet utilization,” Philip Stewart, a spokesman for JetBlue, told the Miami Herald. “It’s common practice to adjust schedules and fleet type based on customer preferences, especially on routes that are new to the network.”
Stewart told the Herald that starting May 3, the carrier will begin using smaller aircraft for some flights to Cuba, cutting back the number of daily seats offered by 300.
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