UPDATED: Operators Make Cuba Bookings Flexible as Hotels Close, Airline Fuel Runs Low

The Cuban government said Sunday that the nation will run out of aviation fuel from today, likely disrupting airline operations, according to EFE news agency. 

Cuba’s leadership says it expects the shortage to persist for at least the next month, with all of the country’s international airports affected. Since the recent U.S. intervention in Venezuela, Cuba has lost its biggest source of fuel, and U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened tariffs on any country that supplies it with oil.

That news comes after large Canadian tour operators announced more flexible policies for changing or cancelling Cuba vacations, in the wake of the temporary closure of several low-occupancy hotels in order to save fuel.

Transat provided travel advisors with this list of closed hotels as of Feb 6:

SNU (Cayo Santa Maria)

• Valentin Perla Blanca
• Sol Cayo Santa Maria
• Melia Buenavista

CCC (Cayo Coco)

• Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar
• Gran Muthu Imperial Cayo Guillermo
• Iberostar Origin Daiquiri
• Tryp Cayo Coco
• Hotel Mojito

VRA (Varadero)

• Hotel El Patriarca

HOG (Holguin) 

• Gran Muthu Ensenada

Transat’s Flexible Policies

For any travel file with an arrival date between February 7 and April 30, at a hotel affected by a temporary closure, travellers may change the date, hotel, or destination without penalty.

Travel advisors must submit a request for cancellation. Transat says that within 48 hours a credit will be generated and travellers will then be able to book their new vacation for the date and destination of their choice. The credit will remain valid for one year from the original return date.

Air Canada Vacations: “Certainty is Important”

ACV is offering customers with imminent travel plans to Cuba the flexibility to change their booking. “If you have customers travelling to Cuba, we understand that certainty about their travel plans is important,” the operator said in a communication with advisors.  

Customers who have purchased a travel package to Cuba that includes an Air Canada or Air Canada Rouge flight on or before February 5, for travel dates between February 6 and February 25, can modify their booking without change fees and rebook for an alternate travel plan. 

Customers will have the option to:

• Change their travel date. To request this option, advisors are asked to call 1-877-752-7710.
• Opt for a Future Travel Credit for the full amount, valid for 1 year. To request this option for advisors can click here and fill out the form on behalf of their client.
• Customers at destination are advised to contact their local Air Canada Vacations Representative for any questions or concerns. 
• For existing Group bookings, advisors are asked to contact their Groups coordinator.

Air Canada Vacations says it will continue to monitor the situation closely and keep you informed of any new developments. “It is highly recommended that you and your network stay connected to your sales team by ensuring you and the team are connected to the Facebook Inner Circle page as we will always have the latest developments available.” 

WestJet and Sunwing Relax Policies, ‘Hotel Penalty’ for WestJet Vacations Clients

Now owned by the WestJet Group, Sunwing Vacations is the largest Canadian tour operator to Cuba. The company made very little comment on the evolving situation up until today, stating only: “We are closely monitoring the situation in Cuba and will continue to follow the direction of the Canadian government.”

However, today Sunwing added an advisory to its website with more flexible change and cancellation penalties for trips from now through February 25.  WestJet added a similar advisory yesterday, with one key difference — WestJet Vacations clients can change or cancel Cuba packages, but face a $200 per person “hotel penalty.”

Full details can be found here, but the following is a summary of key points:

Changes:

• A $0 one-time fee waiver will be offered.
• For travellers changing their destination, the difference in fare applies. Any residual funds are refunded. 
• Travel must be completed within 60 days of the original departure date.
• Change requests must be made more than 2 hours before departure.

Cancellations:

A $0 one-time fee waiver will be offered.  

If the booking is cancelled, funds will be refunded or credited based on the fare class booked; Basic fares will receive a Travel Bank credit – valid for 12 months. 

WestJet Vacations Bookings:

For all WestJet Vacations bookings, valid on all fare packages with flights that have not been delayed or cancelled, the following options are available:

• A $0 one-time fee waiver will be offered for changes or cancellations. 
• For booking changes, the difference in package price and a $200 penalty per person applies, and is subject to availability. 
• For cancelled bookings, the amount paid will be placed into a WestJet Vacations Future Travel Credit, valid for two years. A $200 hotel penalty per person will be deducted from the total.