Air Canada suspends service to Cuba due to aviation fuel shortage

Effective Monday, Air Canada announced the suspension of its services to Cuba due to an ongoing aviation fuel shortage on the island. The airline will operate empty flights to pick up approximately 3,000 customers already in Cuba and return them to Canada over the coming days. The shortage of fuel is a consequence of an oil blockade led by the United States on the Caribbean country.

The decision was made following advisories issued by governments regarding the unreliability of the aviation fuel supply at Cuban airports. It is projected that as of Tuesday, aviation fuel will not be commercially available at the island's airports. To ensure the safe return of its customers, Air Canada will tanker in extra fuel and make stops as necessary to refuel on the return journey.

Air Canada's immediate priority is to return customers already in Cuba to Canada, the company said in a press release. The airline will operate empty ferry flights to the island to maintain its regular schedule from Cuba to Canada in the near-term. Most of the affected customers are travelling on Air Canada Vacations packages.

To support its customers, Air Canada Vacations has introduced a refund policy, allowing customers who had scheduled departures to Cuba and experienced flight cancellations to automatically receive a full refund in their original form of payment. Customers currently in Cuba who booked an Air Canada Vacations package can also receive direct support from local representatives.

Schedule Changes

Air Canada operates an average of 16 weekly flights to four destinations in Cuba from Toronto and Montreal. However, due to the suspension, seasonal flights to Holguín and Santa Clara are cancelled for the rest of the season. Flights to Varadero and Cayo Coco are scheduled to operate year-round but are currently suspended with a tentative restart on May 1.

The airline will continue to monitor the situation and determine an appropriate restart of normal service to Cuba at a future date. In the meantime, Air Canada will redeploy its aircraft to other destinations. The suspension of services to Cuba is a result of circumstances beyond the airline's control, and Air Canada is working to minimize the impact on its customers.