Spirit Airlines fined for Cuban payments

Washington -- The U.S. Treasury Department has fined Florida's Spirit Airlines $100,000 for paying Cuba for permission to use the country's airspace.

Spirit Airlines said violations of the embargo law against Cuba were "unintentional," and agreed to pay the fine, El Nuevo Herald reported Monday.

The airline failed to file for a license from the Office of Foreign Asset Control to do business with the Cuban government, the report said.

"Spirit Airlines never had the intention of violating any requirements or laws to carry out its international operations," company spokeswoman Misty Pinson said.

In 2007, the Treasury Department ordered a total of $803,229 in fines for violating the U.S. embargo of Cuba, the report said.

The penalties include 20 fines of $1,000 to $6,000 imposed on individuals, most of them for selling Cuban cigars through the Internet, the newspaper reported.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.