Air Canada Cancels Cuba Flights Amid US Oil Blockade Crisis
In a dramatic escalation, Air Canada has grounded all flights to Cuba, leaving thousands of Canadian tourists stranded on the island. The airline cited the severe fuel shortage in Cuba as the reason for its decision, citing a consequence of the US oil blockade imposed by Washington.
The crisis began when airlines were informed that international flights would remain restricted until at least March 11. In response, Air Canada announced it would begin repatriating over 3,000 customers. The airline's decision comes amidst a severe fuel shortage, which has also affected other airlines from countries such as Russia, China, Turkey, France, and Spain.
The US oil blockade, enforced by the Trump administration, aims to force Cuba's government into negotiations on regime change. As a result, Washington has threatened any country that sends oil to Cuba with increased tariffs, claiming the island is a threat to national security.
Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum denounced the policy as "very unjust", while dispatching 800 tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba on Sunday. Mexico is considering diplomatic measures to send oil to the island, but details remain unclear.
The fuel shortage has caused widespread disruption in Cuba, with gas stations closed and fewer cars on the road. Cubans have been told to download an app and join online queues to find fuel, a system that has proven almost impossible to navigate. Tourists who had arrived in Cuba just days ago are now facing uncertainty about their stay.
European airlines have faced similar challenges before, adapting by stopping for refueling in nearby countries such as the Bahamas, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. Air Europa has already announced it will stop for fuel in the Dominican Republic.
Other airlines serving Cuba plan to continue flying, with contingency measures in place to minimize disruptions. The aviation fuel crisis is the first major effect of the US oil blockade, threatening one of Cuba's largest sources of foreign exchange - tourism revenue, which had plummeted to below $1 billion annually.
For Canadian tourists like Vicky Volonik and Mark Harrington, who arrived in Cuba just last week, the situation has been chaotic. They were transferred to another hotel by their tour operator, Cuba Private Travel, but remain concerned about the impact on locals who have lost their livelihoods due to the economic crisis.
In a dramatic escalation, Air Canada has grounded all flights to Cuba, leaving thousands of Canadian tourists stranded on the island. The airline cited the severe fuel shortage in Cuba as the reason for its decision, citing a consequence of the US oil blockade imposed by Washington.
The crisis began when airlines were informed that international flights would remain restricted until at least March 11. In response, Air Canada announced it would begin repatriating over 3,000 customers. The airline's decision comes amidst a severe fuel shortage, which has also affected other airlines from countries such as Russia, China, Turkey, France, and Spain.
The US oil blockade, enforced by the Trump administration, aims to force Cuba's government into negotiations on regime change. As a result, Washington has threatened any country that sends oil to Cuba with increased tariffs, claiming the island is a threat to national security.
Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum denounced the policy as "very unjust", while dispatching 800 tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba on Sunday. Mexico is considering diplomatic measures to send oil to the island, but details remain unclear.
The fuel shortage has caused widespread disruption in Cuba, with gas stations closed and fewer cars on the road. Cubans have been told to download an app and join online queues to find fuel, a system that has proven almost impossible to navigate. Tourists who had arrived in Cuba just days ago are now facing uncertainty about their stay.
European airlines have faced similar challenges before, adapting by stopping for refueling in nearby countries such as the Bahamas, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. Air Europa has already announced it will stop for fuel in the Dominican Republic.
Other airlines serving Cuba plan to continue flying, with contingency measures in place to minimize disruptions. The aviation fuel crisis is the first major effect of the US oil blockade, threatening one of Cuba's largest sources of foreign exchange - tourism revenue, which had plummeted to below $1 billion annually.
For Canadian tourists like Vicky Volonik and Mark Harrington, who arrived in Cuba just last week, the situation has been chaotic. They were transferred to another hotel by their tour operator, Cuba Private Travel, but remain concerned about the impact on locals who have lost their livelihoods due to the economic crisis.
omg u can belive its happening again!!! air canada canceling flights to cuba lol what a mess!! i was planning to go to cuba next month with my friends and now we dont no if were gonna make it 
air canada just sucks btw i heard they had to cancel like 3,000 customers flight 
thats crazy how the us oil blockade is affecting everyone lol why do they have to be so dramatic about it 
mexico's president should really talk to them and get some oil sent over stat 
. It's just a mess now, considering the fuel shortage and the US oil blockade is really causing problems for everyone involved 
. The fact that Mexico is sending humanitarian aid is a good start, but we need more diplomatic efforts to get Cuba out of this crisis 
. I'm also worried about the locals who rely on tourism revenue – it's not just their livelihoods at risk, but entire communities 
. This situation could have been avoided if there was better communication and coordination between countries 
.
. And yeah, the situation with the fuel shortage is crazy - I mean, who wouldn't want to travel with a reliable supply of gas for their car? 
But seriously, this whole US oil blockade thing is really affecting Cuba and its people... it's like they're caught in the middle of something that's not even their fault 
. Mexico trying to help out by sending aid is awesome though 
!
u no how frustrating it is when ur vacation plans get ruined like this? i mean, cant they just fly into cuba and back or somethin?! its not rocket science 
. and what about all those locals who lost their jobs because of this oil blockade crisis? thats a whole diff story 
. air canada needs to come up with some better solution than just canceling flights altogether 
. can't they just stop refueling in the usa or somethin'? its like, dont punish cuba for america's own politics 
! I mean, why should they risk flying into a country that's basically being squeezed dry by the US? It's like, Cuba has its own issues to deal with, and we don't need to make things worse. And yeah, who needs tourism revenue when there are more important things to focus on... like the environment, or human rights. I'm all for taking a stand against the US oil blockade, even if it means some tourists get stuck in Cuba 
. Mexico should totally just start sending oil to Cuba and ignore the tariffs - who needs diplomacy when you've got a tank full of gasoline? 
. I'm just imagining all those squirrels scurrying around, gathering their stash, while humans are over here stressing about oil blockades and fuel shortages. What's up with that? Shouldn't we be focusing on more pressing issues... like squirrel food prices 
?
meanwhile, Cubans can't even find fuel for their cars because of US blockade 
it's like, what are they supposed to do now? can't even get back home because of the fuel shortage. and the app thingy for finding gas is wild too 
how does that even work?
this is so sad for those thousands of tourists stuck in cuba 
i mean what's the point of even having a vacation if u r just gonna get stuck there 
️ they shoulda been prepared for this kinda situation 
️ i feel bad for the locals who are struggling with this economic crisis what's going on in mexico tho? sending 800 tons of aid is kinda nice but also why did it take them so long to act? 
And what about the tourists who just got stranded in the middle of nowhere? 
And what's up with the US oil blockade? Is this like, a whole big thing now? 
The Cuban government is already struggling with the economic situation, and now they're getting hit with fuel shortages too? 
Can't we all just get along and help each other out when things are tough?
It's a shame, you know?
. Maybe there's a way for countries like Mexico to send some oil in secret or something? 
I don't know, but I just wish this whole situation would be resolved already 
It's like, what's next? Some country just decides to cut off flights and expects everyone to adapt? 
and it's not just them, other airlines too like russia china turkey france spain all affected by fuel shortage 
what's going on with the us oil blockade tho?! 
Still, this whole situation feels like a huge mess.
what about the thousands of tourists who are now stuck on the island 
and now they're paying the price with their economy