As Cuba grapples with an ongoing fuel crisis, state-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL) says it will continue to operate its weekly flight to Havana, that country’s capital.
A Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) issued by the Jose Marti International Airport on Sunday, warns airlines that Jet A-1 fuel is not available at the airport. Similar warnings are in place for seven other major Cuban airports, including those at Varadero and Santiago de Cuba.
The NOTAMs are in place until March 11th.
In a statement to Guardian Media, the airline confirmed it is aware of the issues with jet fuel at the Havana station and said it has implemented measures to carry extra fuel out of Port of Spain to support operations. CAL says it will continue to monitor the situation and is ready to implement any “necessary contingency measures to ensure safe and reliable service”.
On Monday, Montreal-based carrier Air Canada announced it was suspending its services to Cuba indefinitely due to the crisis. The airline normally operates 16 weekly flights to Cuba. It now plans to fly empty planes to the island to pick up some 3,000 passengers already there and return them to Canada.
WestJet also announced plans to wind up winter operations in Cuba. In a late-night announcement, the WestJet group said it will begin utilising ferry flights to bring home its guests currently in Cuba. The decision impacts Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations and Vacances WestJet Quebec as well.
Similarly, Air Transat is temporarily suspending all flights to Cuba until April 30, 2026. Air Transat will also be repatriating passengers.
Canada is Cuba’s biggest tourist source market and a major source of much-needed foreign exchange.
Other international airlines have not cancelled services but will now either make technical stops in neighbouring countries for fuel before continuing their journeys or load extra fuel for both legs of their journeys.
Cuba has seen its fuel supplies dwindle since the January 3rd attack on Venezuela, which led to the ousting of President Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela has been a major supplier of oil to Cuba.
In a January 29th Executive Order, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on any country that directly or indirectly sells or otherwise provides any oil to Cuba, calling the Cubans government’s “policies, practices, and actions” an “unusual and extraordinary threat”.
