Back from Cuba, Douglas says Plattsburgh-Havana flights are coming soon

New York’s North Country travelers might be able to hop on a plane in Plattsburgh, N.Y., and get off in Havana, Cuba sometime soon, according to Garry Douglas, one of the region’s top economic development leaders. “It will happen,” Douglas said.

Douglas is co-chair of the North Country’s Regional Economic Development Council and heads the North Country Chamber of Commerce. He was one of several officials who joined Andrew Cuomo last week, when he became the first state governor to visit Cuba in years. “It matters to be first. Economic development, international relationships are always in part a race. We won that race,” Douglas said.

Douglas helped create the Plattsburgh International Airport. He represented the air travel industry on the trip, along with Robin Hayes, CEO of JetBlue Airways. Douglas said flights to Cuba could become a reality because there’s a high demand in Montreal. He said the demand could spill over the border.

“More than 600,000 people fly from Trudeau airport every year now to Cuba. That’s a huge number. It’s almost half of the total for all of Canada going to Cuba,” he said. “That makes it an instant success when — not if, but when — somebody first opens up Cuba service from Montreal’s United States airport.”