The Cuban Air Navigation Company (ECNA) has active official aeronautical notices declaring the unavailability of Jet A-1 fuel at 10 international airports on the island.
This was confirmed by the NOTAM statement published in the official Cuban aviation system. The restriction, which began on August 31, extends until 04:00 UTC on October 1, 2026.
The notices affect the airports José Martí in Havana, Juan Gualberto Gómez in Varadero, Jaime González in Cienfuegos, Abel Santamaría in Santa Clara, Ignacio Agramonte in Camagüey, Jardines del Rey in Cayo Coco, Frank País in Holguín, Antonio Maceo in Santiago de Cuba, Sierra Maestra in Manzanillo, and Vilo Acuña in Cayo Largo.
The current NOTAMs (series A3054 to A3063/26) are replacements for previous notifications, confirming that the shortage of aviation kerosene had been reported prior to August 31 and that the restriction has been successively extended.
The warning does not imply the closure of airports or the total cancellation of flights, but rather the inability to supply Jet A-1 on the ground. This forces airlines to load additional fuel at the airport of origin, make technical stops for refueling in third countries, or directly cancel their operations.
In addition to the fuel crisis, José Martí Airport is scheduled for a temporary closure from 11:00 PM on September 21 to 6:40 AM on September 22 for staff and equipment work, according to NOTAM A3277/26.
Problems with fuel at Cuban airports
In February 2026, the ECNA issued the first notice of this phase by alerting about the unavailability of Jet A-1 at nine Cuban airports for a month. The restriction was extended until April and now reaches October, with Cayo Largo added to the original list.
The cascade of consequences for commercial aviation has been severe. More than eleven airlines have suspended or reduced operations to Cuba, resulting in over 1,700 flights canceled in April 2026.
Air Canada, Iberia, Turkish Airlines, Rossiya, Nordwind, WestJet, Air France, and other companies have suspended or adjusted their routes.
Iberia announced in August that it would not return to Havana before June 2027, after suspending its direct Madrid-Havana route in June.
On its part, Russia has conditioned the resumption of its flights on the complete normalization of the jet fuel supply, without providing a specific date.
The crisis has structural roots: the interruption of Venezuelan oil supply following Nicolás Maduro's capture in January 2026, the tightening of U.S. sanctions—including a presidential order from Trump imposing tariffs on countries that supply crude oil to Cuba—and the regime's inability to ensure stable imports of petroleum derivatives.
The impact hits directly at tourism, the country's main source of foreign currency, and at connectivity with key markets such as Canada, Spain, Russia, and Latin America.
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