Air Canada is suspending service to Cuba due to an ongoing fuel shortage that’s expected to get worse. In the days to come, it will be sending empty planes to bring three-thousand customers home.
Amid advisories from the Canadian government, Timmins travel agent Colleen Johnston says the writing’s been on the wall for Cuba since last year. The supply chain hasn’t been consistent in providing food and other items to the resorts.
Johnston says she’s been transparent, saying Cuba is currently not a good idea.
“I love Cuba, don’t get me wrong,” she adds quickly. “Until we’re able to get them to a place where they can consistently host travellers again, I don’t know that it it’s a good place to be going.”
Johnston says her agency has already had several cancellations and rebookings to other destinations.
She says that as long as government advisories are in effect, there’s the risk of being stranded, although that hasn’t been a problem the last few years.
“It’s always a risk. But it hasn’t been a dramatic one. I still personally wouldn’t take that chance.”
Travel is still booming, she adds, with January and February being extremely busy. She agrees that the very cold, very snowy weather might be a contributor to that.
