Airline starts flights to Cuba

FORT MYERS — Choice Aire plans to start nonstop flights from Southwest Florida International Airport to Havana, Cuba, starting Nov. 2.

The Miami-based charter operator will fly to Havana Jose Marti International Airport on Mondays and Fridays, using a 126-seat Boeing 737.

“We have been planning for this service since we were designated as a gateway to Cuba in June 2011,” says Robert Ball, executive director of the Lee County Port Authority, in a statement. “These flights will offer residents of Southwest Florida the unique opportunity to visit the beautiful and historic capital city of Havana.”

The Fort Myers airport has been building international air service and recently inaugurated flights to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and plans to start nonstop service to Cancun, Mexico.