Air France has announced an extraordinary suspension of its three-times-weekly Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle–Havana service from 29 March until at least 15 June because Cuba can no longer guarantee Jet A-1 supplies. The decision was confirmed to AFP and reported by Cuban outlet *CiberCuba* on 4 March. The fuel crunch follows weeks of power cuts on the island and tightening US sanctions that have blocked Venezuelan crude shipments. Until now Air France had mitigated the shortage by adding technical refuelling stops in Nassau, but the carrier said the arrangement was “no longer operationally sustainable” for wide-body Boeing 787 operations. Passengers booked on the route will be contacted directly and offered re-routing, a travel voucher or a full refund.
![Air France suspends Paris–Havana route amid Cuba jet-fuel shortage]()
For travellers who still need to reach Cuba—or arrange alternative routings through third countries—the visa specialists at VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork. Their French portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) provides real-time entry requirements, electronic visa processing and status alerts, ensuring passengers can pivot quickly when airline schedules change unexpectedly.
The airline urged corporate clients to review travel policies for Cuba, warning that seats on remaining European carriers—mainly Iberia and Air Europa, which have diverted to Santo Domingo for fuel—are already scarce. Cargo forwarders that rely on the belly-hold capacity for pharmaceuticals and perishables are also scrambling for alternatives via Mexico City and Cancún. For French businesses the suspension removes the only nonstop connection between France and Cuba, a market that generated €192 million in bilateral trade last year and hosts more than 200 French expatriates. The Foreign Ministry said consular services in Havana remain open but advised travellers to monitor flight availability closely. Air France emphasised that the halt is temporary and contingent on jet-fuel availability rather than demand. Should supplies stabilise earlier than expected, the route could relaunch before mid-June, but industry analysts note that refuelling constraints across the Caribbean may persist while regional geopolitical tensions continue to disrupt oil flows.
For travellers who still need to reach Cuba—or arrange alternative routings through third countries—the visa specialists at VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork. Their French portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) provides real-time entry requirements, electronic visa processing and status alerts, ensuring passengers can pivot quickly when airline schedules change unexpectedly.
The airline urged corporate clients to review travel policies for Cuba, warning that seats on remaining European carriers—mainly Iberia and Air Europa, which have diverted to Santo Domingo for fuel—are already scarce. Cargo forwarders that rely on the belly-hold capacity for pharmaceuticals and perishables are also scrambling for alternatives via Mexico City and Cancún. For French businesses the suspension removes the only nonstop connection between France and Cuba, a market that generated €192 million in bilateral trade last year and hosts more than 200 French expatriates. The Foreign Ministry said consular services in Havana remain open but advised travellers to monitor flight availability closely. Air France emphasised that the halt is temporary and contingent on jet-fuel availability rather than demand. Should supplies stabilise earlier than expected, the route could relaunch before mid-June, but industry analysts note that refuelling constraints across the Caribbean may persist while regional geopolitical tensions continue to disrupt oil flows.
