The deficit affects Cuba’s main airports, including José Martí International Airport in Havana, and other key facilities that support tourism and business flows, such as Varadero, Santa Clara, Cayo Coco, Holguín, and Santiago de Cuba. The official notice includes the indication “JET A1 FUEL NOT AVBL” (Jet A-1 fuel not available), a clear sign that airlines will be unable to refuel in Cuban territory for at least several weeks. In practice, this forces carriers to redesign operations: either suspending services, adjusting flight plans to ensure sufficient fuel for the return leg, or relying on technical stops in nearby countries to refuel.
The repercussions were felt immediately across the international aviation sector. Several airlines with regular operations to the island announced adjustments, cancellations, or route reconfigurations. Measures under consideration include repositioning (“ferry”) flights—operated without passengers—to move aircraft out of the country and repatriate travelers, as well as frequency reductions on seasonal routes. For passengers, scenarios multiply: schedule changes, rebookings on alternative flights, and greater uncertainty in managing connections, especially for those who rely on Havana as a hub to reach other destinations.
European and North American airlines are also reviewing operational and commercial responses. In some cases, flexible travel policies are being activated, including the option of refunds or ticket changes, while planning teams study short-term solutions such as technical stops in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, or other Caribbean airports to guarantee fueling before completing routes. These alternatives, however, involve additional costs, greater logistical complexity, and potential delays—factors that can make certain services less attractive while Jet A-1 remains unavailable.
Aviation experts stress that the consequences go beyond the immediate impact on day-to-day operations: a prolonged disruption in fuel supply could lead airlines to scale back their presence on Cuban routes, with cumulative effects on the country’s connectivity to key source markets. Tourism—one of the pillars of Cuba’s economy—is likely to be among the most exposed sectors: fewer flights mean reduced arrival capacity, pressure on prices, and greater hesitation from tour operators and travelers, at a time when the destination was seeking to consolidate its recovery after the most difficult years of the pandemic.
The energy crisis, however, is not limited to aviation. In recent months, signs of strain in domestic supply have multiplied, including electricity restrictions, limitations on ground transport, and operational adjustments in energy-dependent services and activities. The warning to airlines therefore serves as a particularly visible indicator of a broader problem: when aviation fuel runs short, the logistical and economic chain feels the impact almost immediately, because international connectivity is one of the most critical channels for tourism, trade, and family travel.
Under intense pressure, Cuban authorities are attempting to manage the contingency through emergency measures and efforts to stabilize supplies. Even so, the lack of Jet A-1 at international airports marks a turning point in the country’s already fragile situation, with effects that could reshape mobility, tourism, and the island’s economic dynamics for weeks.
