President Barack Obama has directed officials to look at the possibility of starting scheduled commercial flights between the United States and Cuba, the White House said on Monday.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs was asked at a news conference how Cuban Americans could benefit from an easing of travel restrictions between the United States and Cuba announced by the Obama administration earlier on Monday.

Dan Restrepo, special assistant to the president, said there was a possibility that existing charter flights between the United States and Cuba could be expanded to accommodate more passengers.

Pressed by a reporter on whether the government would allow commercial airlines to start scheduled flights, Gibbs said that was one of the issues the president had directed the secretaries of state, commerce and treasury to look at.

(Reuters)

14 April 2009