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On February 11, the Federal Air Transportation Agency of Russia confirmed that Moscow would temporarily suspend all its flights to Cuba, although it will first evacuate the Russian tourists currently stranded on the island.
The decision is due to the critical shortage of aviation fuel, a further symptom of the deep energy crisis affecting the Caribbean nation, which has begun to directly impact international air transport.
Two Russian airlines - Rossiya, a subsidiary of the Aeroflot group, and Nordwind Airlines (also known as Severny Veter) - have been designated to operate repatriation flights exclusively back to Russia, departing from the airports of Havana and Varadero.
According to figures released in recent days, there are currently around 4,000 Russian tourists in Cuba.
To take them out of the country, airlines will operate ferry flights, that is, planes that will take off empty from Moscow, as it is not possible to fuel them on the island due to the collapse of the JET-A1 supply.
The measure also affects those who had purchased tickets outside of tour packages: Rossiya has already enabled full refunds for the tickets.
“In the coming days, Rossiya will conduct several flights solely for the return... to ensure the safe return of Russian tourists”, announced Rosaviatsia on its official Telegram channel.
Once this phase of evacuation is complete, the flight program with Cuba will be suspended until further notice.
"Afterwards, the airline's flight schedule will be temporarily suspended until the situation changes," the regulatory body emphasized.
A critical outlook: canceled flights and thousands of tourists trapped
The operator Pegas Touristik, one of the largest Russian tour operators, also confirmed the halt of sales for new travel packages to Cuba, although it assured that the repatriation process will proceed "in an organized manner and within the expected timelines."
Meanwhile, Nordwind Airlines maintains punctual flights to Holguín and Varadero, although subject to "forced adjustments" in its schedule, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).
However, the usual bilateral connectivity is completely compromised, and the Russian Ministry of Transport has acknowledged that "alternatives are being sought to resume flight schedules in both directions."
And what happens after the evacuation?
The temporary suspension of flights marks a turning point in the tourism relationship between Russia and Cuba. The image of empty planes flying from Moscow just to pick up their citizens and then indefinitely suspending the routes encapsulates the air emergency situation on the island.
Without restocking options, without allied suppliers, and with a bleeding tourism sector, the Cuban government is facing an unprecedented isolation.
The evacuation of the Russians is just the beginning of a forced disconnection that threatens to turn Cuba into an inaccessible destination for thousands of travelers, and by extension, for thousands of families who rely on tourism.
Russian authorities have promised to keep diplomatic channels open. However, the reality at Cuban airports—where fuel ran out before tourists did—suggests that the return to normalcy will be long and, above all, uncertain.
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