NEW YORK -- JetBlue has begun service between New York's Kennedy Airport and Havana, Cuba.

The inaugural flight left Monday morning, as Cuba continued a mourning period for Fidel Castro.

Passenger John McAuliff told NY1 Television that he wanted to go there during this pivotal time in history.

Other passengers were going to visit relatives they hadn't seen in years. A JetBlue official, Giselle Cortes, said she could see the emotion in their faces.

Commercial flights between the U.S. and Cuba were restarted in August.

U.S. regulations now allow 12 categories of travel to Cuba. Americans without family ties in Cuba can go there if their trip fits into one of those categories, such as educational.