STEP FORWARD

First Commercial U.S.-Havana Flight Lands

First to land in Cuban capital in 50+ years.

The first commercial flight from the United States to Cuba’s capital city of Havana in more than 50 years landed safely on Monday morning. According to the Associated Press, passengers aboard the American Airlines flight “erupted into applause” as it touched down at Jose Marti International Airport. The plane received a water-cannon salute from firetrucks as it taxied the runway. The U.S. and Cuba signed a deal in February to allow such commercial flights—a move seen as significant in the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The first flight between the two countries landed August 31 at the Abel Santamaria International Airport in Santa Clara. The milestone Havana-bound flight comes just as Cubans began a week-long memorial for their former revolutionary leader and dictator Fidel Castro, who died Friday evening at the age of 90.