Panic Spreads Among Canadians Stranded in Cuba
due to the cancellation of all flights to the island
Airlines pledge to repatriate thousands of tourists stranded on the island after the suspension of aircraft fuel supplies.
HAVANA TIMES — “It’s total chaos.” That’s how the situation of Canadian tourists in Cuba was described this Monday by the owner of a travel agency in Lamèque, in the eastern part of Canada. “We never thought it would come to this, but the worst nightmare happened last week, when we started getting calls from clients saying they had seen on social media that hotels were closing,” the agent, Lisette Cormier-Noël, told local Radio-Canada in an interview.
According to her, Air Canada informed tourism industry workers on Friday about the cancellation of some flights, and the reaction was immediate. “People were calling us; it was total panic. ‘What do we do? Do I go? Shouldn’t I go?’” Things got worse this Monday after Cuba issued a Notam (notice to airlines) explaining that there would be no kerosene available for international flights for at least a month. All Canadian operators have already written off the high season and beyond.
Following Air Canada’s cancellation announcement — the airline said it was prepared to repatriate about 3,000 tourists. Air Transat (through April 30) and WestJet and Sunwing (both through April 25) joined hours later to announce their flight cancellations.
Air Transat initially issued a more optimistic message. Despite being forced to cancel two flights this Monday, to Holguín and Varadero, its first reaction was to say it intended not to alter its service. Within hours, that position changed. “Due to the aircraft fuel shortage announced by Cuban authorities and the recent evolution of the situation, Air Transat is temporarily suspending all flights to Cuba until April 30, 2026. Air Transat will contact all affected customers directly. We understand how important your travel plans are and sincerely apologize for this interruption,” the company said on its website shortly after 8:30 p.m. on Monday.
The airline indicated that those who had planned to travel to the Island on the affected dates would receive full refunds, while those stranded in Cuba would be repatriated in the coming days under a plan still to be finalized. “We understand this situation may be concerning and want to assure you that our top priority is getting you home,” they stressed.
For their part, WestJet and Sunwing — both belonging to the same group — had said in the morning that operations would continue. “All flights will carry sufficient fuel to ensure a safe departure without relying on local fuel availability. At this time, there are no safety concerns for our guests.” But they also changed course.
“To ease the strain on local resources, effective today, WestJet will depart Canada with empty aircraft to support the organized return of travelers currently vacationing in Cuba,” the airline wrote in a nighttime statement.
The situation is not surprising. Canadian operators have released a list of partner hotels affected by closures aimed at conserving resources. Three are in Cayo Santa María (Valentin Perla Blanca, Sol Cayo Santa María, and Melia Buenavista), five in Cayo Coco (Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar, Gran Muthu Imperial Cayo Guillermo, Iberostar Origin Daiquiri, Tryp Cayo Coco, and Hotel Mojito), one in Varadero (El Patriarca), and another in Holguin (Gran Muthu Ensenada).
In addition, tour operators have had to organize flexible booking and cancellation plans allowing trips to be rescheduled or destinations changed with financial leniency. “At least they’ve implemented measures to ensure customers don’t lose their money,” said Cormier-Noël, who lamented a far worse situation: that of Cuban citizens. “There are people who have no electricity, no food, no drinking water,” she acknowledged.
On social media, travel agents are overwhelmed and asking clients for patience as hundreds try unsuccessfully to contact them. Appeals for patience and thanks from customers alternate with complaints against Donald Trump — whom some accuse of preventing oil from reaching the Island — and apologies to Cubans. “I’m devastated for all of us who love Cuba and have no idea how to support the people,” one client said. “If airlines go, no one should cancel. Cuba needs us now more than ever,” another pleaded, before learning of Air Transat’s final decision.
There are also those who, despite everything, persist in their ignorance of the geopolitical context. “We’re leaving tomorrow morning and I’m really looking forward to it,” said Eric and Francine, a Canadian couple, to Radio-Canada before all the companies’ cancellations became known. They travel to the Island every year, meaning they are part of the 754,010 tourists who chose Cuba from Canada in 2025 — the leading nationality, though 12.4% fewer than the previous year.
In just the first two months of this year, Cuba received 176,611 Canadians — 88,980 in January and 87,631 in February — though that was already significantly lower than the same period the year before, when there were 261,009. The number of tourists currently in Cuba, unsure exactly how they will return home, has not been disclosed, but they number in the thousands spread across various points of the Island.
Those figures have also been affected by warnings from the Canadian government, which in October 2023 raised its Cuba travel advisory from green to yellow — the second risk level out of five — and just last week warned that “the situation is unpredictable and could worsen, disrupting flight availability on short notice.” Still, Eric and Francine remained unfazed as of yesterday. “We’re not too worried about the oil shortage. It’s a bit stressful thinking about whether we’ll have to come back or not. But whatever happens, happens. And we’ll come back if necessary. It’s not the end of the world,” they said — before the last-minute measures likely did become the end of their vacation.
First published in Spanish by 14ymedio and translated and posted in English by Havana Times.