Local air charter companies are scrambling to add flights to their schedules to bring back thousands of U.S. visitors from Cuba before June 30, when new, stricter government regulations take effect.

But a U.S. official said Thursday that the government was now discussing a way to give people visiting family in Cuba more time to return. "We're aware of the concern, and we're discussing efforts to ensure that those who are legally in Cuba are able to make travel arrangements in compliance with the strengthened regulations," said a U.S. government official, who declined to provide details.

The new Bush administration regulations, which were published last week, caught thousands of people off guard.

Under the new rules, family visits to Cuba will be limited to once every three years from once a year. The policy also eliminated aunts, uncles and cousins from the list of people Cuban-Americans can obtain permission to visit.

Charter operators said that

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