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Air Canada suspends flights to Cuba because of aviation fuel shortage

TORONTO (AP) — Air Canada said Monday it is suspending service to Cuba because of a shortage of aviation fuel on the island.

Canada’s largest airline said it took the decision after the Cuban government announced aviation fuel would not be available at Cuban airports as of Tuesday.

Cuba has been facing a worsening energy crisis amid a U.S. blockade of oil to the Caribbean nation.

Canadian tourism is vital to Cuba’s economy. Global Affairs Canada, a governmental office, has said Canada is Cuba’s second-largest source of direct investment to the island, particularly in the mining and tourism sectors, which have never fully recovered from the pandemic slump.

Air Canada said that in the coming days it will send empty flights southbound to pick up approximately 3,000 customers to bring them home.

Air Transat and West Jet/Sunwing both say they intend to continue flights as planned despite the fuel announcement.

Air Canada says its flight suspension begins Monday.

Beijing bans 4 New Zealand lawmakers from entering China because they visited Taiwan

By WTOP Staff
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Beijing banned four New Zealand lawmakers from traveling to China for a year and demanded they apologize because they visited Taiwan on a parliamentary trip, according to a message from the Chinese embassy conveyed via parliamentary officials and shown to The Associated Press on Thursday. China has hit lawmakers from other countries with sanctions related to contact with Taiwan before, but it's the first time for New Zealand parliamentarians, the government in Wellington said. Beijing has been increasing pressure in recent years on the democratically governed island that it claims as its own territory. Two lawmakers reached by the AP on Thursday rejected the demand for an apology, while the other two could not be immediately reached. New Zealand's government said it would express concern about the travel bans to Beijing. The elected officials visited Taipei in May, as New Zealand parliamentarians have done “for decades,” a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.
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