Airlines, including Air Canada and WestJet, have announced the suspension of flights to Cuba due to a lack of guaranteed aviation fuel at the island’s airports, as the country faces a deepening oil crisis. Cuban officials warn that jet fuel will not be commercially available from February 10 through March 11, affecting commercial air travel and forcing airlines to adjust operations.
Air Canada said it would fly empty planes to repatriate approximately 3,000 customers already in Cuba and cancel seasonal flights to Holguín and Santa Clara for the remainder of the season. Flights to Varadero and Cayo Coco, normally year-round routes, are temporarily suspended with a tentative restart planned for May 1. WestJet confirmed it would wind down winter operations as of February 9, with plans to resume service on April 26.
The fuel shortage is linked to the fact that Cuba has not received an oil shipment since December 2025. The situation intensified after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 29 threatening tariffs for countries supplying fuel to Cuba.
“I find that the policies, practices, and actions of the Government of Cuba constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States, to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,” read the order.
Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez described the move as an “international emergency” that poses an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to national security and foreign policy.
Air Canada noted that its decision followed advisories issued by governments (NOTAMs) regarding the unreliability of fuel supplies at Cuban airports. The airline said it will tanker in extra fuel and make technical stops on return journeys as needed.
The shortage highlights the growing strain on Cuba’s energy infrastructure, which has already struggled to meet domestic demand due to reduced oil imports and sanctions, affecting transportation, industry, and daily life on the island.
