Fuel Shortage Halts Air Canada's Flights to Cuba and Disrupts Air Traffic
In a new development reflecting the depth of the energy crisis hitting Cuba, Air Canada announced on Monday, February 9, 2026, the suspension of all its flights to the island due to a severe fuel shortage, amid increasing U.S. pressure on Cuban energy imports.
The company stated in an official announcement that it will operate empty departing flights from Canada in the coming days to bring back around 3000 stranded passengers in Cuba to their homes, emphasizing that the decision comes in the interest of passenger safety and operational continuity.
According to official sources, Cuban authorities have informed all airlines operating flights to and from the country of the suspension of jet fuel supplies (kerosene / jet fuel) for a full month, starting from midnight on Monday, in an unprecedented move reflecting the severity of the energy crisis.
A Cuban official, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated that the Cuban Civil Aviation Authority has notified companies that “there will be no jet fuel supply starting at 00:00 on Tuesday, February 10, local time,” explaining that this measure will remain in effect for a month.
He added that airlines operating long-haul flights will be forced to implement a “technical stop” on return flights to refuel outside Cuba, while regional flights are expected to continue operating normally.
These developments come at a time when Cuba is facing a suffocating energy crisis, after Venezuela halted its oil supply under pressure from the United States, which threatened to impose tariffs on any country selling oil to Havana.
In an attempt to contain the repercussions of the crisis, the Cuban government announced last Friday a package of emergency measures that included reducing working days to four days a week, expanding remote work in government institutions and state-owned companies, along with imposing strict restrictions on fuel sales.
It is noted that after the halt of oil shipments from Venezuela, following the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro in early January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week imposing tariffs on countries that continue to sell oil to Cuba, exacerbating the island's isolation and its escalating crisis.
