The Key West Citizen

Boza To Petition All Key
West In Behalf Of Airline
As the permit for authorizing other than charter flights between Key West and Havana is being awaited by Rogelio Gomez, part owner of the Aerovias Q. Cuban airline, from the CAA, a caller at The Citizen who is strongly for the proposed flight, Arturo Boza, proprietor of a local restaurant, said today that he, his brother, Rodolfo, Assistant Cuban Consul Alpizar and many others had been trying to get an airline to operate between Key West and Havana for nearly two years.

Not Interested

Boza states that he had contacted the Pan American company and they informed him that they were not interested in the proposed flights. Then National Air Lines were contacted and as World War II was then on, National stated that no planes were available, but at the close of the war, they would be interested.

First Tried Fajardo

The war was concluded and then he and others went to Havana, trying to interest one of the Cuban lines in maintaining service into the Island City. They first tried Fajardo (which occasionally runs an air-express plane carrying Cuban fruits into Key West).

The Fajardo airline was not interested and then Aerovias was contacted and Colonel Quevedo, president of the line, agreed to the plan and after four months Quevedo came to Key West, met Rogelio Gomez, who was recommended as a contact man, and, according to Boza, that is how the line came to the city.

Circulate Petition

Boza now plans to circulate a single petition containing the endorsement of numerous civic-minded clubs, organizations, and individuals requesting the CAA to grant a permit to the Aerovias Q Airline.

Boza has brought to The Citizen office a copy of a petition filed by National Airlines, Inc., in Washington before the CAA for leave to intervene in a permanent or temporary air carrier permit authorizing the transportation of persons, property and mail between Havana, Cuba, and Key West, Fla.

Key West Intermediate Point

In the petition, the National Air Lines state, "Petitioner (National Air Lines), has applied for the designation of Key West 'as an intermediate point on its route between the co-terminal points of Miami, and Tampa, Florida, and the terminal point, Havana, Cuba."

Section six states, "The approval of the application of Aerovias Q, S.A., herein would, upon the information and belief of the Petitioner, have a substantial effect upon the Petitioner's application for the inclusion of Key West as an intermediate point on Petitioner's route between Tampa-Miami and Havana and would result in, substantial diversion from any operations which the Petitioner may be authorized to conduct between Havana and Key West."

The above petition was signed by G. T. Baker as president of National Airlines, Inc.

Boza says that the fight successfully concluded to get an airways to Cuba would result in thousands of tourists coming through Key West instead of through Miami or Tampa. The reason is plain, said Boza. "Shorter flying time, cheaper fare and a chance to see the Florida Keys."