PARIS — Air France has announced the suspension of all flights between Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport and Havana, effective March 29th, with service not expected to resume until at least June 15th. The decision, confirmed to AFP on Wednesday, stems directly from a severe jet fuel shortage currently crippling Cuba.
The airline stated that the ongoing fuel crisis has significantly disrupted economic and tourist operations across the island, making regular flight operations untenable. In response to the suspension, Air France has committed to providing affected passengers with a range of options, including rebooking on alternative dates, travel vouchers, or a full refund.
This operational pause is set against a backdrop of intensified geopolitical pressure. The United States, under the Trump administration, effectively imposed an energy embargo on Cuba in January. This followed the U.S. military’s seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a critical oil ally for Havana. Subsequently, President Trump escalated the pressure by threatening Mexico, another vital fuel supplier to Cuba, with punitive tariffs should it continue energy exports to the island nation.
The ramifications are widespread. Multiple international carriers have already ceased operations to Cuba, while those maintaining service have been forced to alter flight paths to refuel in third countries. Cuban aviation authorities recently informed airlines that the jet fuel shortage is projected to persist until at least April 10th, citing the enduring U.S. blockade as the primary cause.
Cuba’s economy, already strained under a U.S. trade embargo that has been in place since 1962, is facing a profound crisis. The latest energy restrictions are delivering a devastating blow to the nation’s tourism sector, which ranks as the country’s second-largest source of foreign currency, trailing only behind the export of medical services. President Trump has openly expressed his objective of instigating a ‘regime change’ in Cuba, asserting that the nation is ‘ready to fall’ and vowing to levy tariffs on any country that provides it with oil.