‘I’m very anxious’: Canadians in Cuba worry about getting to airports amid fuel shortages

Canadians in Cuba are worrying that buses and taxis will not have enough fuel to bring them to airports so they can catch flights home.

“I’m very anxious, I’m ready to go home,” Tracy Black told CTVNews.ca. “This has been by far the worst vacation I’ve ever had – I wouldn’t even consider this a vacation.”

Black is currently at a resort in Cayo Coco with her elderly mother. While they’re scheduled to return to Prince Albert, Sask., on Friday, they worry there won’t be enough fuel by then for shuttle buses to make the 15-minute drive to the airport. Black says Air Canada won’t allow them to change their flights to come home early.

“We haven’t had any communication from anybody,” Black said. “I just wish Air Canada would be more co-operative with trying to get us home.”

Flights cancelled, fuel scarce

Amid a nationwide fuel shortage, major Canadian airlines have suspended outbound flights to Cuba, including Air Canada, Air Transat, WestJet and its subsidiary Sunwing. While the airlines have committed to bringing Canadian passengers back home, they have stopped carrying travellers to the island due to the deepening energy crisis.

With political pressure from the White House severing Cuba from its main petroleum sources in Venezuela and Mexico, aviation fuel, gasoline and diesel have all become increasingly scarce. In addition to long power outages, those in Cuba have reported that bus systems have ground to a halt, while taxis have become scarce and extremely expensive.

“The other night, we had a three-hour blackout where we sat in our rooms in the dark,” Black said. “We took a taxi from the market the other day, and he was shutting down his taxi service because as soon as his car ran out of fuel, there was no more fuel to be had.”

Canadian Debbie Sutherland, who is currently vacationing in Cayo Santa Maria with three others, was originally scheduled to return home on Feb. 27. Their flight has not been rescheduled.

“Air Transat has said they will continue to fly to Cuba, but I am guessing that could change at any time,” Sutherland told CTVNews.ca via email. “They have stopped the local hop on, hop off bus here. If there is no fuel, how do we get 1.5 hours to the airport?”

Simon Gabbott, who is vacationing in Holguin, says while he’s not too concerned about his Air Transat return flight on Sunday, getting to the plane might be a challenge.

“I’m actually worried that the taxi won’t have fuel to get me to the airport,” Gabbott told CTVNews.ca by email.

With files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press