Canadians are being pulled out of Cuba as fuel runs short across the island. Airports warned of dwindling jet fuel and airlines cancelled service.

Flights grounded as aviation fuel dries up

In early February, Havana's José Martí International Airport issued a notice to the Federal Aviation Administration saying jet fuel supplies were nearly exhausted. By the next day, major Canadian carriers halted flights to the island.

Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat confirmed they were suspending service and said they would repatriate passengers already in Cuba. WestJet added that winding down winter operations affects several of its brands, including Sunwing Vacations and WestJet Vacations.

It's clear that without jet fuel, planes simply can't land. And airlines, already running tight schedules and thin margins in winter, face the short-term cost of rerouting and empty seats.

That disruption matters to the travel industry and to travellers. Tourists stranded abroad mean refund and rebooking costs, potential insurance claims, and operational headaches for carriers juggling aircraft and crews. The airlines have said they’ll bring people home; they haven't released dollar estimates tied to the cancellations.

Humanitarian aid hits a wall

Charities sending supplies to Cuba are suddenly facing tougher logistics. Jennifer Raymer, director of the Ontario-based aid group Together for Cuba, said the flow of regular shipments has been disrupted and that the organisation already ships roughly 600 large duffle bags a year — about 14,000 kilograms — of medical supplies and other aid to the island.

"The Cuban people are devastated," Raymer told Global News, adding that tourism is a core source of work for many locals and a channel through which Canadians have traditionally delivered help.

When commercial flights stop, many informal supply lines stop too. Aid groups rely on passenger flights and cargo routes to move medicine and surgical supplies. When those routes close, organisations either pay more for dedicated freight or pause shipments entirely.

Voices from Cuba: power cuts and empty shelves

On the ground in central Cuba, residents say daily life has deteriorated as fuel supplies have tightened. Isben Peralta, who runs a small home-based pizzeria in Ciego De Avila, said electricity comes in short bursts for some, while others go long stretches in the dark.

"For me, any change for us will be better than what we're living through, because what we're experiencing isn't humane," Peralta said in an interview with CBC News during a blackout. His description of power coming on for a few hours and then going off again has been echoed by other Cubans who are now coping with longer outages and scarce food.

The daily struggles of residents are affecting tourism—fewer tourists mean fewer seats sold, fewer flights, and less reason for airlines to keep routes running.

Why the fuel stopped: Venezuela and U.S. Policy

For decades Cuba relied on Venezuela for much of its oil. In early 2026, those shipments stopped amid geopolitical turmoil, removing a long-standing supply line for the island.

Mastheads

The United States has also tightened restrictions aimed at cutting Cuba off from fuel sources. CBC reported the U.S. Administration issued an executive order in late January that placed sanctions on countries selling fuel to Cuba. Former Canadian ambassador to Cuba Mark Entwistle said the U.S. Appears to be aiming to throttle the Cuban economy to the point that the regime could collapse.

Entwistle, who served as Canada's ambassador to Cuba, described the island's energy situation as already "challenging" before the latest moves. What we now see — market interruptions, transport stoppages, empty pumps — is the result of multiple pressures acting at once.

Economic ripple effects for Cuba and Canadian interests

Cuba's economy depends heavily on tourism, and tourists — including many Canadians — provide income for hotels, taxis, restaurants and a wide informal economy. When flights stop, that revenue vanishes overnight.

For Canadian businesses and travellers, the immediate costs are visible: cancelled vacations, lost bookings, and the logistical expense of returning thousands of travellers. For Canadian tour operators and the airlines, there are contract obligations, refunds and the administrative load of rebooking.

Longer term, a drop in visitors could push more Cubans into deeper economic hardship. That can increase demand for remittances and charitable aid sent from Canada, even as the channels for moving that aid are constricted.

Charities and the private sector scrambling

Together for Cuba and similar organisations are weighing options: charter freight, partnering with international agencies, or temporarily pausing shipments until reliable routes reopen. Charities say those options are costlier and slower than passenger-bag transfers.

Jennifer Raymer said she expected airlines to stop operating quickly once the fuel notice went up — and that prediction proved accurate. She also warned that halting deliveries of medical equipment and supplies will make an already difficult situation worse.

And private Canadian travellers who planned to visit Cuba are now facing cancellations and the hassle of rebookings. Travel insurers may get involved, but policies vary and many have exclusions tied to government travel notices or fuel shortages.

Policy tools and financial consequences

Sanctions and trade controls are political moves, but they also cause real financial problems. When a crucial input like fuel is cut off, the immediate effect is on transport and energy systems. The secondary effects reach consumers, businesses and charities.

That cascade matters to Canadian policymakers too. Millions of Canadian tourist dollars have flowed seasonally to Caribbean economies. When those flows stop, there are diplomatic and consular costs — flights to repatriate citizens, consular assistance for stranded travellers — that governments and private companies often share.

So far, Canada’s major airlines have taken the operational step of suspending service while they arrange repatriation. They haven't quantified the total financial hit publicly.

Public sentiment in Canada

Canadians' reactions mix concern for the welfare of Cuban people with frustration over disrupted travel plans and uncertainty about refunds and insurance coverage. Charities say donations may increase as sympathy grows, but logistics may keep goods from arriving.

Politicians and diplomats will feel pressure to balance support for human needs in Cuba with the political aims behind U.S. Measures. At the same time, airlines and travel firms are focused on customer service and operational containment.

Quietly, investors in travel and tourism stocks will be watching bookings and cancellation trends. But for now, the most concrete developments are operational: grounded flights, halted aid shipments, and people trying to get home.

What to watch next

Watch for updates from carriers about repatriation schedules. Look for statements from Canadian foreign affairs officials on consular assistance. And keep an eye on aid organisations for announcements about how they plan to route shipments if commercial flights remain suspended.

At the centre of all those operational moves are people — travellers, charity volunteers, and Cuban residents coping without steady power or fuel.

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"The Cuban people are devastated," said Jennifer Raymer, director of Together for Cuba.

This article was created with AI assistance.