Originally posted by Wnose on Monday, February 03, 2014

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As an alternative to Copa (Panama) or Aeromexico (Cancun), look into Cayman Airways. A lot closer than either destinations. Only 40 minutes away from Havana and 1 hour away from Miami.

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US, Cuba sign deal on commercial flights


HAVANA (AP) — The United States and Cuba signed an agreement on Tuesday morning to resume commercial air traffic for the first time in five decades, starting the clock on dozens of new flights operating daily by next fall.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Cuban Transportation Minister Adel Yzquierdo Rodriguez signed the deal in a ceremony at Havana's Hotel Nacional.

U.S. airlines can now start bidding on routes for as many as 110 U.S.-Cuba flights a day - more than five times the current number. All flights operating between the two countries today are charters.

American Airlines spokesman Matt Miller said the company plans to bid on routes from Miami and other unspecified "American hubs."

The carrier has been operating U.S.-Cuba charter flights since April 1991, the longest of any U.S. airline, and currently offers 22 weekly flights out of Miami to Havana, Camaguey, Cienfuegos, Holguin and Santa Clara. American also flies from Tampa to Havana and Holguin, and between Los Angeles and Havana.

United Airlines is also looking to serve Havana from some of its hubs, spokesman Luke Punzenberger said. The carrier's major hubs include Chicago, Houston, Washington and Newark, New Jersey. It currently does not fly charters to Cuba.

JetBlue Airways said it was eager to offer service between "multiple" cities in the United States and the island, with spokesman Doug McGraw saying that "interest in Cuba has reached levels not seen for a generation." The carrier currently flies charters to various Cuban destinations out of New York, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale.

Discount carrier Spirit Airlines spokesman Paul Berry said it, too, plans to submit a proposal. Spirit's largest operation is out of Fort Lauderdale, accounting for 15 percent of its flights.

Southwest Airlines also expressed interest in flights to Cuba.

Delta Air Lines spokesman Anthony Black said the carrier plans to at least apply for flights from its Atlanta hub to Havana.

Can the big hotel chains be far behind? Will Cuba allow real tourism to develop?

With profit, corporate greed, and pussy at stake I would presuppose that the rate business plans are being prepared would make premature ejaculation look slow.

A chain like Marriott is only going to open a property if the entire support and supply chain is there to support it. I don't believe much, if any, of that is currently available in Cuba. A lot of guys have mentioned over the years that going to Cuba is like going camping. You need to bring everything you're going to need, down to toilet paper, towels and sheets, maybe even an air mattress and pillows.

Depending on how widely the doors of commerce open, the "supply chain" may only be 90 miles away, which is nothing.

The question is, British and Canadian's have been traveling to Cuba for years. How developed is the P4P market?

How fast will Americans ruin this like we have essentially in just about every place we've been.

The state of P4P in South America and Asia is horrible compared to what it was.

In all fairness, outside of the Vietnam war, Americans have always comprised a smaller percentage of visitors to Bangkok, due to the vast distance. If the decline of the P4P scene in Thailand had to be laid at the foot of a nationality, the Japanese by far and away hold much more responsibility than the Americans. But of course some other factors come into play beyond the Japanese, such as the internet and local economic conditions.

Can't speak to the situation in AC, but given that the place was literally created by the Americans, it would be ironic if they were responsible for ruining it, as opposed to the Koreans and Japanese.

You are probably right about Asia but South America is our doing.

I disagree. Even at the peak of US mongers in places like Rio - say, 2005 or so - we were always a very small percentage of customers. Low single digits, if that. Places like Angeles, Pattaya, Amsterdam and a few other spots are the exceptions to the rule that P4P is geared towards locals. Not that locals in Amsterdam don't monger, but they sure as shit don't visit the red light district.

I do think compared to the rich locals in Rio, we were a minority. But when I was in Rio the 11 or so times I went, I would bump into people on this board in addition to many more Americans than other nationalities.

And for Medellin, I can tell you that I've personally been responsible for 100's of people going. I would laugh when I was at a restaurant in Poblado and I would hear an accent that was clearly American I would introduce myself and immediately they would say "you are Sniper!". Funny.

I know its anecdotal evidence. This board was very responsible in bringing Americans to South America to monger. Sure it was "discovered" by Europeans, and there are many who still go, but the Termas are filled with Americans.

The interesting thing is, Europe is well known but largely unused by Americans. Too bad, I think Germany specifically is a great place to go. Lots of P4P, the FKK clubs have great food and drink that is often included in the entry fee unlike Termas, there is plenty to do and see that is interesting and close unlike South America (really how much can you see Jardin Botanico?), the variety in women is great, and it isn't that expensive!

On the subject of variety, where else can you go where you get Eastern European, Asian, Latina, Brazilian and even American women all in one place? And for $50 for 30 minutes and another $50 for all you can eat and drink for a few hours!

Back on the subject of Cuba, would love to see more information from those of you who went. I'll be in the Caribbean in April, maybe a few days would be fun.

(Message edited by sniper on February 24, 2016)

My two cents;
the worsening situation of the P4P in asia in general is becuase of japanese travellers, no doubt about it. americans and europeans might have added some nonsense over the years but is the jap travel and later on the koreans and chinese to finish fucking things up royally.
as far as south america is concerned; internet usage did most of the damage to the P4P activities/venues in brazil, colombia, Peru and central america.
is a global new world and nothing will stay the same, as much as we dont like it.
all i can say at the end, so glad i got to enjoy the way P4P was in the old school !!! the rest are warm memories !!

MP