The floodgates to Cuba haven't opened, but the waters are rising.
Island Travel & Tours will begin twice-weekly, non-stop flights between Baltimore, Maryland, and Havana, Cuba, beginning Sept. 30, 2015. This marks the second time in a week that a new direct charter flight has been announced between the countries which have for years had very limited connections.
"These new flights will provide more options for travel and will provide the opportunity for more visits by American museums, art galleries, colleges, universities, research organizations and government officials who will now be able to travel to Cuba for as few as three days or as long as several weeks," Bill Hauf, the tour company's president, said in a statement.
The company flies six routes a week between Miami and Havana, and will launch a twice-weekly Orlando to Havana route in July.
It wasn't even six months ago that President Barack Obama announced a new approach to relations with Cuba. And even though Congress has not yet acted to lift the half-a-century-old embargo, the tide is heading in an obvious direction.
Also this week, the Obama administration approved ferry service between Florida and Cuba.
As a side note, Baltimore has a not-so-distant tie to Havana.
In 1999, Cuba's National team and the Baltimore Orioles played in an exhibition series.
Fidel Castro met the then-pitcher for Cuba's National team, Jose Ibar, at the airport in Havana, Cuba, to send him off as he and other members of the team left for Baltimore.