Air Canada halts Cuba flights amid reported fuel supply issues

Air Canada Announces Suspension of Service to Cuba Due to Fuel Shortage

Air Canada has announced that it will suspend its service to Cuba due to an ongoing aviation fuel shortage on the island. According to a press release, the airline made this decision following advisories issued by governments regarding the unreliability of aviation fuel supply at Cuban airports.

As of February 10, it is projected that aviation fuel will not be commercially available at airports in Cuba. To address 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 currently operates an average of 16 weekly flights to four destinations in Cuba, with seasonal flights to Holguin and Santa Clara cancelled. Flights to Varadero and Cayo Coco are scheduled to operate year-round, with a tentative restart date of May 1.

A NOTAM issued by Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport on Sunday stated that Jet A1 fuel will not be available starting Tuesday at 5am (10:00 GMT), affecting nine international airports including Havana, Varadero, and Cayo Coco. The US government has imposed sanctions on Venezuela, Cuba’s main oil supplier, which has led to a shortage of aviation fuel.

Air Canada’s decision follows previous crises that have prompted many airlines to refuel in nearby third countries. Other carriers operating flights to Cuba, such as American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, continue to fly to the island without experiencing any operational impacts.

Source: Al Jazeera