Sunwing Vacations Group has made the decision to halt its operations in Cuba indefinitely. This move follows the announcement made in April by Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, and WestJet Vacations Québec about the cancellation of all services to Cuba from June 20 to October 9.
In a statement, Sunwing acknowledged the potential disappointment for travelers and travel advisors, recognizing the strong bond many Canadians have with Cuba. While not directly attributing the decision to the ongoing fuel scarcity in Cuba, Sunwing mentioned the challenges faced by locals.
The company expressed its understanding of the difficulties currently experienced by local communities, tourism employees, and industry partners dependent on the sector. Major Canadian airlines had previously suspended flights to Cuba in February due to airport alerts about dwindling jet fuel supplies, caused by the disruption in oil shipments from Venezuela following U.S. actions against Nicolás Maduro.
Cuba’s energy minister disclosed last month that the country had completely exhausted its diesel and oil reserves. AirTransat also confirmed the continuation of its suspension of Cuba services until the end of October, with no current availability of packages to the destination.
Sunwing assured customers with existing bookings to Cuba that they would be contacted and presented with alternative options, such as rebooking to another destination or receiving a full refund.
