
Canadians wait for flights out of Cuba, aid struggling to get in amid U.S. energy blockade
Global News
Canadians in Cuba are waiting for flights home and humanitarian agencies are struggling to get aid in as an energy crisis worsens in the nation amid a U.S. oil blockade.
While Canadians in Cuba are waiting for flights home as an energy crisis worsens in the nation amid a U.S. oil blockade, those who send aid are struggling to do so.
Cuba warned international airlines on Feb. 9 that aviation fuel would no longer be available on the island, beginning Feb. 10, in the latest sign of fast-worsening conditions as the United States moves to cut off the communist-run nation’s oil supply.
Major Canadian airlines, including Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat, have already suspended service to Cuba. All three airlines have confirmed they plan to bring travellers back home to Canada.
Calgary-based WestJet says its decision to wind down winter operations will affect WestJet, Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, and Vacances WestJet Quebec.
Air Canada has said its decision to cancel service to Cuba comes after “following advisories issued by governments regarding the unreliability of the aviation fuel supply at Cuban airports.”
Venezuela has historically been a major supplier of oil to Cuba but in early 2026, ceased those oil exports as a result of recent geopolitical turmoil after it was taken over by the United States.
The Trump administration is cutting Cuba off from using its traditional fuel sources in an effort to put pressure on the island nation off the coast of Florida, which has been under strict economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. government for decades.
Amid the efforts to get Canadians out, those who provide charitable aid say they are now struggling to send that in.













