Air Canada has abruptly suspended all passenger service to Cuba after the Caribbean nation warned airlines it could no longer guarantee aviation fuel at any of its airports. Effective 00:01 a.m. on Monday, February 9, the carrier’s daily rotations to Havana, Varadero, Holguín and Santa Clara were pulled from the global distribution system, stranding roughly 3,000 Canadian holiday-makers.
Cuba is grappling with its worst energy crisis since the 1990s “Special Period.” Tighter U.S. sanctions on vessels carrying Venezuelan and Mexican crude have slashed imports, forcing the Díaz-Canel government to ration gasoline, shorten working hours and cancel cultural events. Over the weekend the civil-aviation authority took the extraordinary step of notifying foreign carriers that no jet-A1 would be available island-wide for at least seven days.
For corporate travel managers, the shock suspension is a reminder of how geopolitical tensions can ripple through seemingly low-risk leisure routes. Canada is by far Cuba’s largest inbound market—more than one million arrivals in 2025—and Air Canada’s decision will redirect passengers onto Air Transat, WestJet/Sunwing and several charter operators that say they will tanker fuel from Florida or the Dominican Republic. Capacity bottlenecks and higher operating costs are likely to push fares up during the busy Family Day and March-break peaks.
![Air Canada Halts Cuba Flights Amid Nationwide Fuel Shortage]()
For Canadians suddenly needing to reroute through third countries—or to pivot plans entirely—VisaHQ can simplify the paperwork. The company’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers real-time visa guidance, passport renewals and expedited e-visa processing, helping travellers secure any additional documents quickly when disruptions like this upset carefully laid itineraries.
Air Canada is laying on a series of fuel-laden ferry flights to repatriate customers and has activated its “goodwill” policy allowing date changes or refunds. Travel insurance providers have confirmed that the event qualifies as an ‘‘unforeseen disruption,’’ meaning most policyholders can claim for unused land arrangements. Human-resources teams with staff on assignment in Cuba should check contingency evacuation clauses and advise employees to keep receipts for additional expenses.
Looking ahead, the carrier says service will resume only when “reliable fuel uplifts” can be secured, with contingency talks already under way with Cayo Coco airport about installing temporary fuel bladders. Companies that rely on Cuba-Canada air links for nickel mining, engineering and aid projects should prepare for at least several weeks of irregular operations and consider routing personnel through Mexico City or Nassau if travel is urgent.
Cuba is grappling with its worst energy crisis since the 1990s “Special Period.” Tighter U.S. sanctions on vessels carrying Venezuelan and Mexican crude have slashed imports, forcing the Díaz-Canel government to ration gasoline, shorten working hours and cancel cultural events. Over the weekend the civil-aviation authority took the extraordinary step of notifying foreign carriers that no jet-A1 would be available island-wide for at least seven days.
For corporate travel managers, the shock suspension is a reminder of how geopolitical tensions can ripple through seemingly low-risk leisure routes. Canada is by far Cuba’s largest inbound market—more than one million arrivals in 2025—and Air Canada’s decision will redirect passengers onto Air Transat, WestJet/Sunwing and several charter operators that say they will tanker fuel from Florida or the Dominican Republic. Capacity bottlenecks and higher operating costs are likely to push fares up during the busy Family Day and March-break peaks.
For Canadians suddenly needing to reroute through third countries—or to pivot plans entirely—VisaHQ can simplify the paperwork. The company’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers real-time visa guidance, passport renewals and expedited e-visa processing, helping travellers secure any additional documents quickly when disruptions like this upset carefully laid itineraries.
Air Canada is laying on a series of fuel-laden ferry flights to repatriate customers and has activated its “goodwill” policy allowing date changes or refunds. Travel insurance providers have confirmed that the event qualifies as an ‘‘unforeseen disruption,’’ meaning most policyholders can claim for unused land arrangements. Human-resources teams with staff on assignment in Cuba should check contingency evacuation clauses and advise employees to keep receipts for additional expenses.
Looking ahead, the carrier says service will resume only when “reliable fuel uplifts” can be secured, with contingency talks already under way with Cayo Coco airport about installing temporary fuel bladders. Companies that rely on Cuba-Canada air links for nickel mining, engineering and aid projects should prepare for at least several weeks of irregular operations and consider routing personnel through Mexico City or Nassau if travel is urgent.
