TIA executives and officials in Hillsborough County, with Tampa as main city and over one million inhabitants, posted a request online so that travelers sign a petition to the US Department of Transportation to approve permits for the flights to Cuba.

Southwest Airlines, with 175 seats and Jet Blue Airways with 162, have the only ones offering flights from Tampa, out of 12 US air companies that requested to make daily flights to Havana.

Nearly 4 thousand petitions has thus far been made, according to a spokesperson with TIA. Tampa is homed to the third largest Cuban community in the United States and has historic links to the island, experts say.

On February 16, Cuba and the U.S. signed a MOU reestablishing direct flights after more than 50 years of interruption.

The Memo establishes up to 20 flights between the U.S. and Havana and another 10 between American territory and other 9 Cuban airports.

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