The Biden administration will expand US flights to Havana, adding 13 weekly American Airlines departures from Miami and a weekly JetBlue departure from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the Transportation Department said Monday. That is on top of the typical six daily American Airlines flights and three JetBlue flights weekdays to Havana from the Florida airports. USDOT said the flights must begin by mid-December. In June, the department lifted a series of restrictions on flights to Cuba, including ending a prohibition on US airline flights to smaller Cuban airports outside Havana. At the time Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the action was "in support of the Cuban people, and in the foreign policy interests of the United States." The previous administration under President Donald Trump barred passenger airline flights to smaller Cuban airports. In July, American Airlines received permission to resume service to some smaller Cuban airports. American sought approval for flights from Miami to Santa Clara, Holguin, Matanzas/Varadero and Santiago de Cuba. The airline said earlier this year the flights "will enhance service and access between the US and these non-Havana points, after more than two years during which such service was suspended." During the Trump administration, the United States imposed a cap on charter flights to Cuba at 3,600 per year and later suspended private charter flights to the country. It also barred charter flights to any Cuban airports except Havana.<br/>
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RwandAir is keen to join Oneworld as an expansion of its already close partnership with Qatar Airways, a core member of the global airline alliance, says CEO Yvonne Makolo. "As we continue to expand our partnership with Qatar Airways, we are always looking for ways to improve our customer offering and global reach. We are therefore exploring the possibility of entering the Oneworld alliance. This would be a perfect fit for RwandAir and help us forge closer ties with like-minded airline partners overseas," Makolo said. "Joining Oneworld will help us gradually improve our products and services and what we are offering to our passengers." Makolo was reacting to comments by Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker at Aviation Africa 2022 in Kigali on September 12-13 that his airline would be assisting RwandAir to achieve the necessary standards to join Oneworld, either as a full member or associate. "We will do everything within our ability to bring them to the standard to be ready to join as a full member or an associate member," he said. Al Baker is the current chairman of Oneworld. Currently, Royal Air Maroc is the only African airline with full membership of Oneworld, leaving the alliance lacking a Sub-Saharan African hub. "We saw this potential in the place that is right in the centre of Africa and the relationship they have with the state of Qatar. I found that this is the right place. This is about confidence and relationship, economic interest for both countries with each and this is what we are going to do," Al Baker said.<br/>
Qantas has stopped offering vegetarian meals on some domestic flights, leaving one irate traveller to suggest it is a further sign that the airline is in decline. Environmentalist Jon Dee was flying from Adelaide to Sydney on Sunday night when he was told there was only chicken pie on the menu. “They said it’s one size fits all now – it’s this or nothing for any flight under three and a half hours,” the frequent flyer said. “The system for baggage has seemed to have collapsed overnight. For decades I’ve been able to have a vegetarian meal and all of a sudden that’s also collapsed overnight – and there is no reason it should have.” In a statement, the airline confirmed it was offering one meal option on many domestic routes, which meant only providing chicken pies on some flights. “During Covid we made some changes to onboard food and service offerings to simplify the service delivery for our crew,” a spokesperson said. “We now offer a single meal/snack option per flight on our shorter flights, such as a chicken pie or a zucchini and onion frittata. If the option on a particular flight is not suitable for vegetarians, we try to offer an alternative of a small sweet or savoury snack which is vegetarian.” Qantas said on longer domestic and international flights customers could still book special meals including vegan or gluten-free and dairy-free options. <br/>