Spanish flag carrier Iberia this week became the latest airline to pause flights to and from Cuba, where a jet fuel shortage is gradually cutting off commercial air traffic.
The carrier suspended service between Madrid and Havana on Monday and will keep the connection on hold until Oct. 24.
Iberia said it will fully refund affected passengers.
A number of international airlines, including Air Canada and Rossiya, have paused flights to Cuba over the last two months because of uncertainty about whether their aircraft will be able to refuel at Cuban airports.
The U.S. began blocking oil and diesel shipments to Cuba in January, and the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro that same month deprived the island nation of a key ally and longtime energy supplier. Trump administration officials have said their goal is to bring about regime change, and President Donald Trump has even floated the idea of taking over the country.
The blockade has resulted in widespread blackouts, financial difficulties for Cuban businesses, a gradual breakdown of Havana’s trash collection system, and a sharp decline in tourism.
Major U.S. airlines, including United, American Airlines, and Delta, continue to fly to Cuba, but the federal government forbids purely tourist travel there. Family visits, business trips, humanitarian work, and religious activities are among the authorized exceptions.
