China adds extra Havana flight as Cuba fuel crisis strands travellers

By Reuters News04:00 (UTC), 20 October 2026 Updated

BEIJING, Oct 20 (Reuters) - China organised a rare supplementary flight out of Cuba's capital Havana for passengers who have been unable to leave the island, as US sanctions deepen a domestic oil crisis and international airlines suspend flights due to refuelling issues.

The Chinese embassy in Cuba said in a statement on Monday that a "replacement" flight for Air China 601111.SS flight CA866 from Havana to Beijing was added, flight CA590.
The statement said due to "technical reasons" the schedule for flight CA866 had changed frequently recently and some flights had been cancelled. It did not refer to Cuba's oil crisis.
Flight CA590 is scheduled to depart at 2230 on October 19, the statement said.
CA589, the preceding flight for CA590, arrived in Havana, according to records from popular Chinese flight information app Umetrip.
CA590 had not departed Havana yet, according to Umetrip.
The US has piled pressure on Cuba's government, including a nine-month de facto fuel blockade and reinforced sanctions that have led to an unprecedented economic crisis on the island.
China's foreign ministry referred to other government departments in response to Reuters questions. China's aviation regulator and Air China did not immediately respond to requests for comment.