Cuban gives up on Argentina once and for all and will no longer fly to the country after 39 years due to lack of supply

The state-owned airline Cubana de Aviación has permanently suspended all its regular flights between Havana, Cayo Coco and Buenos Aires after supplier companies in the Argentine Republic denied the supply of fuel.

The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounces the boycott by the United States: “Cubana de Aviación sought numerous alternatives to maintain operations that were already planned and authorized by the Argentine National Civil Aviation Administration”said the island’s Ministry in a statement published on Wednesday in official media outlets.

According to the government body, the mixed company Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales (YPF) announced in March its refusal to supply fuel to the Cuban airline, resulting in several meetings with transport directors in Argentina without obtaining a “satisfactory response”. The result was the temporary suspension, which has now become permanent, of regular flights between Cuba and Argentina that had been in operation for 39 years.

“The application of this arbitrary measure by the company YPF Argentina is a clear demonstration not only of the validity of the application of the genocidal US blockade against Cuba, but also of its extraterritorial nature, in addition to violating the rules of international trade”, denounced the Ministry of Foreign Relations.

Previously, the state airline stated that “this refusal has been extended to other airlines contracted by Cubana de Aviación.” This occurred because Cubana does not operate in Argentina with its own aircraft, but rather under a wet-leasing contract with the Spanish airline Plus Ultra, as reported by partner portal Aviacionline.

Until a few weeks ago, Cuba’s airline operated a weekly flight between Buenos Aires/Ezeiza, Cayo Coco and Havana on Airbus A330-200 aircraft operated by Spain’s Plus Ultra. According to ANAC Argentina, during the first quarter of 2024, the company transported 3,221 passengers with an occupancy rate of 61%.

Faced with this situation, Cubana decided that the affected passengers who are in Cuba will be protected, being sent back on flights from other airlines that have a connection with Argentina. Meanwhile, other passengers will be able to receive a full refund for their air tickets.