Air Canada has grounded its flights to Cuba due to a severe aviation fuel shortage on the island. The airline issued the statement following government advisories warning of the unreliability of the fuel supply at Cuban airports.
As of February 10, it is projected that there will be no commercially available fuel for aviation purposes at the airports in Cuba. To mitigate this issue, Air Canada plans to operate empty flights southbound to pick up approximately 3,000 customers already in Cuba and return them home.
The airline's priority is to ensure the safe passage of its customers, and it has announced that its current weekly flights to four destinations in Cuba will be suspended. The seasonal flights to Holguin and Santa Clara have been cancelled, while flights to Varadero and Cayo Coco are scheduled to operate year-round with a tentative restart date of May 1.
The government of Cuba also announced the closure of certain hotels with low occupancy rates as part of broader fuel-saving measures. This move is seen as an attempt to reduce energy consumption and minimize the impact of the fuel shortage on the island's economy.
Cuba has historically relied heavily on Venezuela for its jet fuel, but following US sanctions, the Caribbean nation has not received any crude or refined products from its top ally since mid-December. The US President Donald Trump has vowed that Cuba would receive no more oil from Venezuela and has threatened to slap tariffs on any nation sending fuel to the island.
Airline operators have previously dealt with fuel shortages by refueling in nearby third countries, including Panama, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and the US. However, this crisis is expected to impact airlines operating flights to Cuba, which relies heavily on aviation fuel for its operations.
The situation remains fluid as the fuel shortage affects not only Air Canada but also other international airports, including Havana's Jose Marti International Airport, which will not have available Jet A1 fuel starting Tuesday at 5am. The warning is expected to be in effect until March 11, and it has been announced that nine international airports will be impacted by this measure.
The US oil blockade on Cuba has led to a severe shortage of aviation fuel, putting the entire aviation industry in Cuba under strain.
As of February 10, it is projected that there will be no commercially available fuel for aviation purposes at the airports in Cuba. To mitigate this issue, Air Canada plans to operate empty flights southbound to pick up approximately 3,000 customers already in Cuba and return them home.
The airline's priority is to ensure the safe passage of its customers, and it has announced that its current weekly flights to four destinations in Cuba will be suspended. The seasonal flights to Holguin and Santa Clara have been cancelled, while flights to Varadero and Cayo Coco are scheduled to operate year-round with a tentative restart date of May 1.
The government of Cuba also announced the closure of certain hotels with low occupancy rates as part of broader fuel-saving measures. This move is seen as an attempt to reduce energy consumption and minimize the impact of the fuel shortage on the island's economy.
Cuba has historically relied heavily on Venezuela for its jet fuel, but following US sanctions, the Caribbean nation has not received any crude or refined products from its top ally since mid-December. The US President Donald Trump has vowed that Cuba would receive no more oil from Venezuela and has threatened to slap tariffs on any nation sending fuel to the island.
Airline operators have previously dealt with fuel shortages by refueling in nearby third countries, including Panama, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and the US. However, this crisis is expected to impact airlines operating flights to Cuba, which relies heavily on aviation fuel for its operations.
The situation remains fluid as the fuel shortage affects not only Air Canada but also other international airports, including Havana's Jose Marti International Airport, which will not have available Jet A1 fuel starting Tuesday at 5am. The warning is expected to be in effect until March 11, and it has been announced that nine international airports will be impacted by this measure.
The US oil blockade on Cuba has led to a severe shortage of aviation fuel, putting the entire aviation industry in Cuba under strain.
... I remember when my cousin went to Cuba with his family back in 2015 and had an amazing time 
. But now it's all about the fuel shortage, which is super annoying. I feel like we're back in the '90s when fuel shortages were a regular thing, you know? 
Air Canada is being really responsible by not flying with empty tanks, but I'm sure it's still gonna be a pain for customers who were already there 
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. But, I guess that's just the way things go when you're dependent on foreign fuel supplies 
. The US oil blockade has been a thing for ages, and it's crazy to see how it's still affecting the daily lives of Cubans and travelers alike 
. Maybe they'll find a solution soon? 
i mean i used panko breadcrumbs which added this crazy crispy texture to the outside while keeping it juicy on the inside... anyways back to cuba flight situation idk how they manage w/ all these sanctions but hopefully air canada gets that fuel ASAP 
. On one hand, safety is super important and they gotta make sure their customers get home safely 
. But on the other hand, think about all those people stuck in Cuba with no way to get out 
. And it's not like it's a new thing, airlines have dealt with fuel shortages before and managed just fine... or so I thought 
. Like, what's the point of saving energy if you're not gonna use it? And Cuba relying on Venezuela for fuel was a mistake in the first place 
. The US oil blockade has been in place for ages and it's just now causing problems... maybe they should've thought that one through before 
.
so like what's gonna happen to ppl stuck in cuba with no fuel coming in? 
Cuba's always been a tricky place when it comes to getting stuff in from other countries 
. The US oil blockade is really affecting things over there...I guess we'll just have to wait until May 1 for some relief 
. The situation is getting worse by the day, and it's not just Air Canada that's feeling the pinch - think of all those customers stranded in Cuba without a way out 
. The US oil blockade on Cuba is definitely exacerbating the problem 
It's just common sense, right? 
! I mean, can you imagine having to cancel all those flights and leaving thousands of people stuck? It's like something straight outta The Day After Tomorrow 
... but not good. Air Canada is being super responsible by trying to get everyone home safely, tho. On the bright side, who needs tourist season anyway? 
But for real, this fuel shortage is a big deal and I hope they can figure out a solution ASAP. Maybe the airlines can work together like superheroes 
to find alternative refueling spots or something? That'd be awesome!
. Fuel shortages are a thing now, and it's just getting crazy 
It feels like they're just trying to save energy, but it's not going to make a huge difference in the long run... 
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. It's not just Air Canada, other airlines are strugglin' too. Panama and the Bahamas have been refuelin' in the past, but I guess that's not an option now 
It's all gettin' pretty intense 
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IT'S LIKE, I GET THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO SAVE ENERGY AND ALL, BUT THIS AFFECTS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO JUST WANTED TO TRAVEL 
I HOPE AIR CANADA CAN FIND SOME WAY TO GET THESE PEOPLE HOME SAFE AND SOUND 
️ Fuel scarcity is no joke! Air Canada is feeling the pinch 