The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has updated its advice to warn against all but essential travel to Cuba, citing ‘severe and worsening disruption’ and ‘increasing safety risks’.
The update, issued just after 8pm UK time last night (Wednesday 11 February), followed an announcement earlier in the week from the Cuban authorities that they were unable to provide aviation fuel for a month.
This led to flight cancellations by some carriers, including Air Canada, although the main airlines bringing passengers to Cuba from Europe and the UK – Air Europa , Air France and Iberia – very quickly established a refuelling stop on the return journey, predominantly in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, according to Cuba specialist Matthew O’Sullivan.
The FCDO advice now says: “Cuba is experiencing severe and worsening disruption to essential infrastructure, persistent nationwide power outages, fuel shortages, and increasing safety risks. These conditions significantly affect the ability of visitors to access reliable transport, medical care, communications, and basic services.
“Authorities have introduced fuel rationing, scaled back public services, and made temporary changes to healthcare, education, transport and tourism operations in order to conserve severely limited energy supplies.
“Flight schedules are also being disrupted due to aviation fuel shortages, with some airlines reviewing routes or temporarily cancelling services which risk visitors being unable to leave the country.
“If you are currently in Cuba, carefully consider if your presence is essential. Take precautions by conserving fuel, water, food and mobile phone charge, and be prepared for significant disruption.”
It added travellers should: “Check for messaging from your airline or tour operator.”
Matthew, who is Cuba Product Manager for AITO specialist Archipelago Choice, and who is the former owner of Captivating Cuba, told Travel Gossip the situation had been ‘fast-moving’.
He said last night’s change in FCDO advice was ‘expected’ and ‘another difficult day in a very turbulent few years for Cuba’, But he added: “It’s another step towards some type of change and journey back to stability and indeed tourism growth that could now be around the corner.”
Matt said his only UK clients in Cuba flew out 20 minutes after the FCDO changed its advice last night.
“It’s very much a rapidly changing situation and we have had a few bookings of clients in Cuba in the last week and the majority were booked to fly back last night, which was good timing.
“We have USA clients in Cuba now, enjoying Havana, who are due to travel home at the weekend.
“They have all had a fantastic time and were not affected by the scenarios that the locals have been experiencing, however moving forward clients would be affected by the fuel issues.”
He added: “Tourists have not been affected by the increasing number of blackouts, as hotels and local private accommodation providers, called casas, have generators or solar power.
“The fuel rationing has in recent days started to affect those tourists who are travelling through the island enjoying the culture, colonial towns, and enjoying various activities. It has been increasingly challenging on an operational level to secure fuel for transport since the weekend as drivers are naturally hoarding fuel.
“Due to the fuel situation the Cuban authorities issued a note to airlines to advise that aviation fuel is now not available until 11 March. This has led to all the main Canadian airlines – Air Canada, WestJet and Sunwing – postponing their flying programmes until March or April.
“European carriers such as Air Europa, Iberia and Air France are currently refuelling in other Caribbean islands on their return legs, however other actions may be announced in the next days.
“We have been in close contact with the clients due to travel soon anyway and they are all aware of the emerging situation in Cuba. All want to visit the island and are happy to wait and push back their departure dates if the situation continues,” he said.
“I feel that until there are some positive changes to the fuel supply in Cuba, the Government advisory will stay in place as this is naturally the key issue.
“There are growing and rapidly more detailed unofficial reports emerging from the Latin American, Spanish and US media that talks are taking place in Mexico between representatives of the Cuban and US governments.”
