NEW travel advice has been issued warning Brits not to travel to a major destination in the Caribbean.
The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) is advising against all but essential travel to Cuba – the Caribbean’s biggest island – as flights get cancelled.
On Gov.uk, the FCDO states: “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.”
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Flight cancellations include to and from Havana, with aviation authorities warning that no fuel will be available for the next month.
The shortage comes after the US sanctioned the Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro, as Venezuela is key supplier of oil to Cuba.
President Donald Trump later claimed that the “policies, practices and actions of Cuba directly threaten the safety, national security and foreign policy of the United States“.
He added that he would place tariffs as a punishment on any country that directly or indirectly sells or gives oil to Cuba.
And as a result, the country’s supply has run dry.
This has then impacted flights into and out of the country.
From February 10, jet fuel has been unavailable and this is expected to go on until March 11.
The notice was given by the island’s aviation authorities and impacts Havana, Varadero, Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, Santa Clara, Cayo Coco and other airports.
For example, Air Canada has been forced to cancel its weekly programme of 32 flights.
Brits often travel via Canada to get to Cuba and if you have an upcoming flight with Air Canada or WestJet, you can get a full refund.
Anyone currently in Cuba who is due to fly home is having to catch ‘ferry flights’, with Air Canada carrying extra fuel to manage both outward and return flights.
For those travelling from Europe, flights are usually with Air Europa or Iberia from Madrid to Havana.
Alternatively, you can get a flight from Paris to Havana on Air France or from Istanbul on Turkish Airlines or from Moscow on Rossiya.
However, these flights are likely to be forced into making technical stops for more fuel.
If you already have a flight booked to Cuba and the flight will still be taking off, you unfortunately have no right to cancel and won’t get a refund.
The same goes for if you have a holiday booked with a travel firm and they can still provide the holiday that you booked.
However, if it becomes impossible to carry out your trip itinerary – such as certain activities – travellers should be given the option to cancel.
When FCDO advises against travel, your travel insurance will typically not cover you.
For package holidays, you are generally entitled to a full refund or alternative holiday when the FCDO issues advice against all but essential travel.
The FCDO adds: “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.
“Check for messaging from your airline or tour operator.”
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