Sunwing Vacations has decided to further delay and expand its operational halt in Cuba due to the ongoing lack of oil supplies affecting the popular tourist destination. The suspension of all operations by Sunwing Vacations Group, consisting of Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, and Vacances WestJet Quebec, in Cuba has been extended from June 20 to Oct. 9.
Initially scheduled flights to Varadero and Cayo Coco for the summer season have also been put on hold and will resume on Oct. 10, according to a statement from Sunwing to CBC News. Services to Holguin, Santa Clara, Cayo Largo, and Cienfuegos will recommence on Oct. 25, with the company closely monitoring the situation for further updates.
Sunwing Vacations Group, a division of the WestJet Group, confirmed that affected customers will be offered alternative options, with trips to destinations like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Punta Cana, and Montego Bay still available.
The disruption in oil supplies to Cuba began when Canadian airlines suspended flights to the country in February as Cuban airports faced jet fuel shortages. The suspension was part of a winter operation wind-down with plans to resume services on April 26.
The oil supply crisis in Cuba stemmed from U.S. President Donald Trump’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which cut off Cuba’s oil supply from Venezuela. Trump later imposed tariffs on countries selling oil to Cuba, further exacerbating the fuel shortage in the nation.
The scarcity of oil has significantly impacted the daily lives of Cubans, leading to sporadic countrywide power outages and a surge in prices of essential goods.