Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Cuba Halts Jet Refueling for a Month as Fuel Crisis Forces Airline Cuts

A U.S. pressure campaign has cut off Cuba’s oil lifelines, leaving no aviation fuel available on the island.

Overview

  • Cuban aviation authorities issued a NOTAM stating Jet A-1 will be unavailable at all international airports from February 10 to March 11.
  • Air Canada suspended service and is operating empty repatriation flights for about 3,000 travelers, with WestJet winding down operations and Air Transat canceling flights until late April.
  • Some carriers are continuing service by tankering extra fuel or adding technical stops, including Air Europa refueling in Santo Domingo, while U.S. airlines report limited immediate impact on FloridaCuba routes.
  • The shortfall follows U.S. moves that blocked Venezuelan deliveries and an executive order threatening tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba, prompting Mexico to pause shipments.
  • Cuba has imposed sweeping rationing—shorter school days, a four-day workweek for state entities, and curtailed transport—as UN officials warn the humanitarian situation could worsen without restored fuel flows.