Air Canada suspends flights to Cuba amid aviation fuel shortage

MONTREAL — Air Canada suspended service to Cuba due to a shortage of aviation fuel on the island, saying it will send empty flights southbound to pick up about 3,000 travellers to bring them home.

The airline said it took the decision “following advisories issued by governments regarding the unreliability of the aviation fuel supply at Cuban airports,” adding that its flight suspensions take effect Monday.

“It is projected that as of Feb. 10 aviation fuel will not be commercially available at the island’s airports.”

Other Canadian airlines — Air Transat and WestJet — both say they intend to continue flights as planned despite the fuel shortage.

Cuba has been facing a worsening energy crisis amid a U.S. blockade of oil to the island. The fuel shortage is the latest efforts to ration energy as U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration cuts Cuba off from its fuel sources.

The country was reliant on Venezuelan oil — a lifeline that was cut off by the U.S. government. Last month, Trump signed an executive order allowing for tariffs on goods from countries that sell or provide oil to Cuba.

The Canadian government upgraded its travel advisory on Feb. 4 for Cuba, urging travellers to “exercise a high degree of caution” due to worsening shortages of electricity, fuel and basic needs like food, water, and medicine.

“The situation is unpredictable and could deteriorate, disrupting flight availability on short notice,” Global Affairs Canada warned.

Air Canada said it has been following the situation closely and had initially introduced a flexible rebooking offer for those travelling to Cuba. Air Canada Vacations, the tour operating arm of the airline, is introducing a refund policy for those with scheduled departures.

For the returning flights from Cuba, “Air Canada will tanker in extra fuel and make a technical stop as necessary to refuel on the return journey if necessary,” the airline said. Those return flights are expected in the coming days.

Marie-Ève Vallières, spokesperson for Air Transat, said Cuban authorities had warned the airline about “a temporary suspension of kerosene supply at airports across the country.”

“We expect to operate our flights as scheduled by implementing contingency measures, such as a technical stop when necessary.”

Air Transat said it has issued a flexibility policy for travellers with upcoming trips to Cuba.

WestJet, which acquired Sunwing in 2025, said it has also activated flexible policies to allow travellers to adjust their plans without penalty. “Our focus continues to remain on the safety of our guests and our WestJetters,” the airline said in a statement.

“It is also important to note that all WestJet flights arrive in Cuba with sufficient fuel to safely depart Cuba.”

Last week, certain hotels were shuttered on parts of the island, with tourists being moved into other resorts due to low occupancy.

Moscou Côté, president of the Quebec Association of Travel Agents, said despite the difficulties, the level of service is on par with what travellers have experienced post-pandemic in Cuba.

“Overall we go to Cuba for the price and the price is still very attractive to Cuba,” he said.

There have been moments in the past where Cuban airports have seen a run on aviation fuel that meant flights making a stop in the Bahamas on the return home, he said.

“You have to understand that tour operators like Transat, Air Canada and Sunwing have been dealing with Cuba for over 30 years,” Côté said. “So they are used to these kinds of operational headaches.”

However, one commercial pilot told The Associated Press on Monday that while refuelling issues have occurred before, a situation of this scale is extraordinary even for an island accustomed to perpetual crisis.

Still, Côté said anyone looking to book a trip going forward should wait and see.

“We’ll have a good idea in the next couple of days how the situation is managed and what to expect,” he said. “So I would think it might be a good idea to wait a couple of days, you know, just to make sure everything is properly addressed.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 9, 2026.

— with files from Associated Press

Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press