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Thursday 02 February 2017 8:53 am

American Airlines has opened its first office in Cuba despite Trump uncertainty

By: Rebecca Smith

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American Airlines has formally opened its first office in Havana, Cuba, despite uncertainty on US President Donald Trump's approach towards the country.

It comes two months after the airline's first scheduled commercial flight from the US to Havana in over 50 years.

The airline said the flight and the new office underlined the company's commitment to developing business on the island after Trump's predecessor Barack Obama kicked off a new policy of engagement with Cuba.

Read more: American Airlines' share price loses altitude as costs weigh on profits

"We cannot speculate about what [Trump's] next step will be, but I can assure you that we are moving our machine forward," Galo Beltran, the Cuba manager for American Airlines, told the Associated Press. "You are a witness to the investment and how important Cuba is to American as a US entity doing business."

The new office is of particular importance as Cuba has limited internet access, as well as credit card use, so it's difficult for many to book online.

American's Cuban office will be open from Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, as well as 9am-1pm on Saturdays.

Read more: How Airbnb started its own Cuban revolution

There has been uncertainty over the US-Cuba detente with the election of Trump though, as he had criticised Obama's approach, and ahead of his inauguration on 20 January tweeted he might yet "terminate" the deal.

If Cuba is unwilling to make a better deal for the Cuban people, the Cuban/American people and the U.S. as a whole, I will terminate deal.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 28, 2016

In March last year, Obama became the first sitting US President to visit Cuba since the 1959 revolution, which sparked decades of hostility between the two countries.

Obama said at the time he believed that "change is going to happen here".

A number of airlines were given authorisation to fly to Cuba by the Obama administration last year. American Airlines started flights from Miami to Cuban cities in late summer, then adding Miami to Havana and Charlotte to Havana services.

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