Cuban aviation authorities have prolonged their Jet A1 shortage alert until at least 4 April 2026, forcing airlines to tanker fuel, re-route services or suspend operations altogether. The new NOTAM, published on 3 March and confirmed by Irish travel specialists TRAVEL Extra on 7 March, lists ten international airports—including Havana, Varadero and Holguín—where refuelling is effectively impossible.
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs reacted by upgrading its travel advice over the weekend, urging citizens to defer non-essential trips and warning tour operators to secure contingency lift for spring break groups. Cuba is a niche but growing long-haul destination for Irish leisure travellers, with approximately 8,000 passengers in 2025, many via Paris, Madrid or Toronto.
Travellers navigating these disruptions should also verify that their travel documents remain valid. VisaHQ’s Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) provides fast, online visa and passport services, and their specialists can advise on entry rules for Cuba’s alternative transit points such as Mexico or the Bahamas, streamlining paperwork while airlines juggle fuel-stop diversions.
![Cuba’s Jet-Fuel Shortage Extended to April—Irish Government Renews ‘Avoid Non-Essential Travel’ Advisory]()
Air France has already suspended Paris–Havana flights from 29 March to 15 June, while Canadian carriers Air Transat and Sunwing have cancelled services until at least 30 April. Irish-origin itineraries are therefore subject to multiple rebookings, often at higher fares, and mobility managers should advise travellers to retain boarding passes and receipts for insurance claims.
For corporate travel, the shortage particularly affects engineering and pharma teams conducting audits at joint-venture sites near Mariel and Cienfuegos. Companies should budget extra time for fuel-stop diversions—often in Cancún or Nassau—and ensure travellers carry sufficient supplies of prescription medication given nationwide power cuts.
Analysts caution that the fuel crunch could drag into the peak summer season unless US–Venezuelan energy talks resume. Mobility stakeholders should monitor carrier bulletins daily and confirm that tickets are tagged with ‘INVOL CHG’ waivers to avoid change-fee disputes.
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs reacted by upgrading its travel advice over the weekend, urging citizens to defer non-essential trips and warning tour operators to secure contingency lift for spring break groups. Cuba is a niche but growing long-haul destination for Irish leisure travellers, with approximately 8,000 passengers in 2025, many via Paris, Madrid or Toronto.
Travellers navigating these disruptions should also verify that their travel documents remain valid. VisaHQ’s Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) provides fast, online visa and passport services, and their specialists can advise on entry rules for Cuba’s alternative transit points such as Mexico or the Bahamas, streamlining paperwork while airlines juggle fuel-stop diversions.
Air France has already suspended Paris–Havana flights from 29 March to 15 June, while Canadian carriers Air Transat and Sunwing have cancelled services until at least 30 April. Irish-origin itineraries are therefore subject to multiple rebookings, often at higher fares, and mobility managers should advise travellers to retain boarding passes and receipts for insurance claims.
For corporate travel, the shortage particularly affects engineering and pharma teams conducting audits at joint-venture sites near Mariel and Cienfuegos. Companies should budget extra time for fuel-stop diversions—often in Cancún or Nassau—and ensure travellers carry sufficient supplies of prescription medication given nationwide power cuts.
Analysts caution that the fuel crunch could drag into the peak summer season unless US–Venezuelan energy talks resume. Mobility stakeholders should monitor carrier bulletins daily and confirm that tickets are tagged with ‘INVOL CHG’ waivers to avoid change-fee disputes.
