Air France will suspend flights to Cuba due to a fuel shortage

Air France announced that it will temporarily suspend its flights between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Havana due to a fuel shortage in Cuba.

According to a report by the agency AFP, the French airline explained that the measure will take effect on March 29 and will remain in place, initially, until June 15, if the situation improves.

"Due to the shortage of fuel on the island of Cuba and its impact on economic and tourist activities, the flights of the company between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Havana will be temporarily suspended," the company stated.

Air France currently operates three weekly flights to the Cuban capital using high-capacity Boeing 787 aircraft.

The airline stated that customers with reservations affected by the cancellation will be contacted individually via email, SMS, or through the company's app.

Passengers will be offered the option to change the date of their trip, receive a voucher, or request a full refund of their ticket without any additional charges.

The energy crisis that Cuba was already facing worsened in January when U.S. President Donald Trump blocked shipments of Venezuelan oil to the island following the capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. special forces.

Currently, due to supply difficulties in Cuba, Air France planes are making a technical stop in the Bahamas to refuel.

Companies like Iberia and Air Europa have added technical stops at airports in the Dominican Republic.

Several international airlines have already suspended their flights to the island, including the Russian carriers Rossiya and Nordwind, as well as the Canadian airlines Air Canada, WestJet, and Air Transat.

This Tuesday it was reported that Cuba's international airports will continue to have no fuel availability for aircraft at least until April 10, according to an official notice issued by the island's aviation authorities.

The information was reported by the agency EFE, which indicated that the Notam message, directed to pilots and air traffic controllers, confirms that the Jet A1 fuel shortage affects all international terminals in the country and will remain in effect for an additional month.