Varado Seaside, Cuba. Credit score: Emmanuel Huybright / Artistic Commons
Vacationers seeking to journey to Cuba are being warned of potential flight disruptions after the Cuban authorities confirmed a nationwide aviation gas scarcity affecting the entire nation’s worldwide airports.
In line with data confirmed on February 9, Cuban authorities issued an official NOTAM (Discover to Airmen) stating that Jet A1 gas is now not out there within the nation beginning this week, blaming the scenario on the US oil blockade.
Aviation gas unavailable all through Cuba
The NOTAM is addressed to pilots and air visitors controllers and specifies that the kerosene scarcity is affecting all Cuba’s worldwide airports. The discover is legitimate for one month from February tenth to March eleventh.
The message, coded as “JET A1 FUEL NOT AVBL,” is at the moment within the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) database, confirming that aviation gas isn’t out there at any of Cuba’s worldwide airports.
Cuba’s main airports and routes affected
The affected airports embody Havana’s José Martí Airport, Varadero Airport, Cienfuegos Airport, Santa Clara Airport, Camaguey Airport, Cayo Coco Airport, Holguin Airport, Santiago de Cuba Airport and Manzanillo Airport, masking the whole island from west to east.
Thus far, probably the most affected airways (primarily within the US, Spain, Panama and Mexico) haven’t publicly introduced how they may deal with the scenario, though modifications to routes, schedules and frequency are anticipated within the brief time period.
Airways might reroute to refuel overseas
Any such turmoil isn’t unprecedented in Cuba. Throughout comparable gas shortages in the course of the Nineties “particular interval” and up to date provide bottlenecks, airways tailored by including refueling stops in nations resembling Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
Most worldwide flights join Cuba to Florida cities resembling Miami, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale, in addition to Madrid, Panama Metropolis, and a number of other locations in Mexico.
Tourism is already beneath extreme pressure
Cuba additionally maintains common air companies with Latin American capitals resembling Bogotá, Santo Domingo and Caracas, all of which may very well be affected if gas shortages proceed.
The announcement is an additional blow to Cuba’s struggling tourism sector, which has but to recuperate from the pandemic and continues to endure from U.S. sanctions, financial instability and declining service requirements.
Journey warnings and energy outages improve
A number of nations have just lately warned their residents in opposition to touring to Cuba, citing frequent energy outages and rising tensions with america.
The power disaster intensified after US President Donald Trump signed an government order on January 29 threatening to impose tariffs on nations that offer oil to Cuba, citing nationwide safety issues.
Emergency measures intensify financial stress
Cuba at the moment produces solely a couple of third of its power wants and depends closely on imports from Venezuela, Mexico and Russia. Provide from Venezuela accounted for about 30% of whole imports in 2025.
In response, the Cuban authorities introduced emergency measures, together with suspending diesel gross sales, decreasing working hours at hospitals and provincial workplaces, and quickly closing some motels.
Massive-scale energy outage impacts every day life
The island has been experiencing an financial disaster for six consecutive years, characterised by inflation, shortages of meals, medication and gas, every day energy outages, and mass immigration.
On Sunday, February 8, simultaneous energy outages are anticipated to have an effect on 59% of the nation throughout peak hours, whereas a current partial grid collapse left thousands and thousands with out energy, underscoring the severity of Cuba’s ongoing power disaster.