Cuba tells airlines it will run out of fuel; AC halts service; WestJet, Air Transat to continue

This story was updated on Monday, February 9 at 12:19 p.m. EST 

The Cuban government says international airlines will no longer be able to refuel in the country because of fuel shortages, following threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on any nation that provides oil to the communist-led island.

Officials said Sunday that Cuba is expected to run out of aviation fuel starting Monday (Feb. 9), a situation likely to disrupt airline operations, according to the EFE news agency, which cited two sources.

The shortage of kerosene is projected to last for about a month and will impact all international airports across the island, reports say.

EFE says the affected airports in Cuba include José Martí in Havana, Juan Gualberto Gómez in Varadero, Jaime González in Cienfuegos, Abel Santamaría in Santa Clara, Ignacio Agramonte in Camagüey, Jardines del Rey in Cayo Coco, Frank País in Holguín, Antonio Maceo in Santiago de Cuba, and Sierra Maestra in Manzanillo.

An official operational notice from the international NOTAM system (Notice to Air Missions), meanwhile, has set Cuba's fuel validity period from Tuesday (Feb. 10). 

The notification, issued Sunday (Feb. 8), part of a global aeronautical alert system used to inform crews and airlines about operational conditions, indicates that aircraft would not be able to refuel with Jet A-1 in Havana during the specified period. 

Since Jan. 3, when the U.S. carried out a military operation that removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power — a leader who has long been closely allied with Cuba — the Trump administration has been trying to tighten its pressure on the Cuban government.

Amid a worsening energy crisis, Cuba on Friday announced steps aimed at safeguarding vital services and conserving fuel for priority sectors.

The reported measures include limits on fuel sales, the temporary shutdown of certain tourist facilities, shorter school days, and cutting the workweek at state-run companies to four days, Monday through Thursday.

Russia, a longstanding ally of Cuba, said Monday that the country’s fuel shortage was “extremely severe” and blamed additional U.S. pressure for creating significant challenges.

Air Canada halts service

In a statement to PAX, Air Canada's Vice President of Corporate Communications Christophe Hennebelle confirmed that the airline’s outbound flights to Cuba on Monday (Feb. 9) will not be carrying passengers. 

He said the airline will operate ferry flights only (non-revenue operations where an aircraft is flown from one location to another, without passengers).

“We will operate as scheduled out of Cuba, carrying passengers to Canada,” Hennebelle wrote in an email. “We continue to monitor the situation to ensure safe and reliable operations for our passengers and crew and will share more information as it becomes available.”

READ MORE: WestJet, Sunwing activate flexible rebooking policies for Cuba

In an update shared late Sunday, Hennebelle confirmed that Air Canada has adjusted its Cuba program, based on current market conditions, and will be reducing certain routes at the end of February.

As for sourcing fuel, he said Air Canada uses smaller aircraft for Cuba “which cannot carry enough fuel to complete a nonstop round trip."

However: “Contingency measures have been put in place to allow for a return should the need arise.”

WestJet/Sunwing to continue operating

The actions are not uniform across the board, however. 

In a statement to PAX Monday morning, Eric Rodriguez, executive vice president at Sunwing Vacations Group, said the company is monitoring the situation in Cuba "as it is very fluid." 

"We have a plan to continue operating and cover the fuel issues," Rodriguez wrote in an email. "We have given our guests flexibility for changes however they continue to support Cuba."

As reported, tour operator Sunwing Vacations and its parent company, WestJet, have now posted flexible rebooking policies for Cuba vacations to their websites. 

The options apply to departures between February 9, 2026, and February 25, 2026. See details here and here. 

"Our focus continues to remain on the safety of our guests and our WestJetters. It is important to note that all WestJet flights arrive in Cuba with sufficient fuel to safely depart Cuba," reads a statement from WestJet that was shared with PAX late Monday morning. 

Air Transat will also continue

Air Transat also expects to operate its Cuba flights as scheduled by implementing contingency measures, such as a technical stop when necessary, the airline told PAX in a statement Monday afternoon.

"In the meantime, we remain in close communication with local authorities and are closely monitoring the situation," the company said. 

Transat has meanwhile implemented a special flexibility policy for customers with upcoming travel to Cuba. 

For departures up to February 28, date or destination changes are permitted without penalty, or a full refund will be issued according to the original method of payment on file.

And dor departures between March 1 and April 30, date or destination changes are also permitted without penalty, with a travel credit issued for the value of the original booking.

Travel advice updated

The Government of Canada updated its travel advice for Cuba last week, cautioning Canadians eyeing a winter getaway that deepening shortages—ranging from fuel to food—could affect resort stays.

As reported, select airlines and tour operators have activated flexible rebooking policies for Cuba vacations, allowing customers to make voluntary changes.

Fuel shortages have forced the closure of at least two major beachfront resorts on Cayo Coco, with roughly 200 guests set to be relocated to Sol Cayo Coco, reports Bloomberg.

Transat, on Friday, also sent a communication to travel advisors, noting some temporary hotel closures that were directly linked to low occupancy levels in some regions.

At the time, the company said it was working with local authorities to obtain a complete and final list of affected hotels.

The situation, however, presents conflicting information. 

In a recent statement, the Cuba Tourist Board in Toronto said Canada remains the country’s largest source market and told travellers that resort operations are functioning “normally and securely for the 2025-26 winter season.”

The board said Cuba’s Ministry of Tourism “took proactive measures throughout the fall to ensure a seamless winter peak,” adding that fuel, food and essential goods were secured in advance.

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