Air Canada Suspends Cuba Flights Amid Fuel Shortfall; Travel Impact Looming

Air Canada suspended flights to Cuba effective February 10, 2026, as the U.S.-imposed restrictions on Venezuela’s oil are causing a commercial jet fuel shortage expected to last through March 11. A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) warned of unreliable availability at key airports. The carrier will tanker in extra fuel and make refueling stops as needed and will send empty flights to evacuate about 3,000 passengers. The shortage follows months of interrupted crude and refined fuel deliveries from Venezuela, effectively cutoff by U.S. sanctions. Similar disruptions have prompted other U.S. carriers to continue operating with sufficient fuel for at least one more leg of their routes.