Cuba halts jet fuel supply at airports amid energy crisis and U.S. pressure
Havana's José Martí airport will have no commercial aviation fuel for one month starting Tuesday, forcing airlines to seek alternative refueling and disrupting international travel.
3 hrs ago
Cuba announced Sunday that it will suspend jet fuel supplies at all international airports for one month beginning Tuesday, citing a severe energy crisis worsened by the end of Venezuelan oil shipments and pressure from the Trump administration on crude oil supplies.
An operational notice from the international NOTAM system confirmed that Havana's José Martí International Airport will have no Jet A-1 fuel, the standard for commercial aviation, between Tuesday and March 11. Cuban authorities notified all airlines operating in the country that fuel supply would be suspended starting at midnight Monday local time.
The fuel shortage is expected to affect long-distance international flights significantly. Airlines operating routes from Cuba will be required to conduct technical stops on return journeys to secure kerosene supplies elsewhere, according to an executive from a European airline who spoke on condition of anonymity. Regional flights are expected to maintain normal connections, the executive added.
The kerosene shortage is the latest consequence of Cuba's broader energy crisis. The island has implemented severe restrictions on fuel supply, electricity generation, and transportation. The government has also begun closing hotels and relocating tourists as part of an emergency response plan.
Cuban authorities said Sunday that available fuel reserves are minimal. The government stated it would prioritize essential flights and the arrival of food, medicines, and critical supplies, though it acknowledged the constraints posed by limited reserves.
The Trump administration has intensified pressure on Cuba since January 3, when it conducted a military operation to depose Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a longtime ally of Cuba's government. Trump has threatened tariffs on any country that supplies the communist nation with oil, contributing to the tightening of the U.S. economic position toward Cuba.
The fuel shortage is already impacting Cuba's tourism sector, one of the country's principal sources of foreign currency. Airlines and tour operators have been alerted to the month-long suspension, and foreign governments with citizens on the island have been notified of the disruption.