Canadians returning from Cuba amid energy crisis due to U.S. oil blockade
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HALIFAX – Ryan Profid was enjoying a karaoke night at a resort near Cayo Coco in Cuba when he was approached by a staff member who had some bad news.
They told him his vacation was over and he’d have to fly home the next day.
Hours later, a disappointed Profid emerged from the arrivals gate at Halifax’s Stanfield International Airport after his WestJet flight had landed on Wednesday afternoon.
“I’m upset, but still happy to be home regardless,” said Profid, who is from Hubbards, N.S. “Hopefully, I can get to go back, I really like the Cuban people and want to support them.”
Profid is among a number of Canadians affected by a crisis in Cuba as major airlines from Canada have suspended commercial flights to the country because of aviation fuel shortages at airports on the island.
The Trump administration is cutting Cuba off from using traditional fuel sources in an effort to put pressure on the Caribbean nation, which has long been under strict economic sanctions imposed by Washington.
“It’s all affecting the locals a lot more, obviously, than people on the resort,” Profid told The Canadian Press. “It’s just a sin this is happening to them.”
And while Profid had his vacation cut short, many passengers on his plane returned home on their originally scheduled day.
Carolyn and Eric Wissmann from Parrsboro, N.S., were in Cuba for two weeks and left Wednesday as planned. Carolyn said their experience getting back into Canada was seamless. “Our rep at the hotel said we’re doing this in an orderly fashion and everyone will get home,” Carolyn Wissmann said.
“I know they kept closing resorts,” said Andrew Garnau, who is from the Annapolis Valley. “But we never saw any shortages of anything down there … for us it was business as usual. And then at karaoke they tell us we’ve got to go.”
Calgary-based WestJet says its decision to wind down winter operations will also affect flights on Sunwing, a company it fully integrated into its operations in 2025. Air Canada and Air Transat have also suspended flights to Cuba because of the unreliability of aviation fuel at airports.
Profid said the staff at the resort expressed uncertainty and worry about what the next few weeks will hold. He said their Sunwing representative at the resort told them they didn’t know if they’d have a job by next week. “It’s all up in the air. They don’t know if they’ll have a job or where they’ll be,” Profid said.
Meanwhile, Simon Pont and his wife Laura Pont from the Halifax area said they had an amazing week in Cayo Coco and a routine flight home. “The staff were amazing. We’ve left with a profound sense of sadness, because when we leave they have no job. And that makes me incredibly sad, and they put a brave face on,” Simon Pont said. “WestJet or Sunwing did exactly as expected and here we are home safe.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 11, 2026.