Sunwing Vacations Group has decided to halt its Cuba operations indefinitely. This decision follows the earlier announcement from Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, and WestJet Vacations Québec in April, where they declared the cancellation of all services to Cuba from June 20 to Oct. 9. The group expressed understanding that this news might disappoint both guests and travel advisors, acknowledging the strong bond many Canadians have with Cuba and its people.
While Sunwing did not explicitly attribute the indefinite suspension to the ongoing fuel shortage in Cuba, they did mention the challenges faced by locals. The company emphasized the significance of Cuba as a beloved destination for their guests and expressed concern for the hardships faced by local communities, tourism workers, and industry partners reliant on the sector.
The major Canadian airlines had initially halted flights to Cuba in February when Cuban airports issued alerts about dwindling jet fuel supplies. The disruption in oil shipments to Cuba following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro severely impacted the island’s aviation and electricity fuel supply.
According to the country’s energy minister, Cuba had completely exhausted its diesel and oil reserves last month. AirTransat also confirmed to CBC News that its Cuba services would remain suspended until the end of October, with no current availability for booking packages to the nation.
Sunwing assured customers with existing bookings to Cuba that they would be contacted with alternative options, including rebooking to a different destination or receiving a full refund.