Air China organizes emergency flight to evacuate stranded passengers in Cuba

Air China has arranged an emergency flight, CA590, to transport passengers stranded in Cuba following a series of cancellations on its regular Havana–Madrid–Beijing route. The Chinese Embassy in Cuba announced that the special flight departed from José Martí International Airport on Tuesday, October 19, making a stop in Nassau, Bahamas, before continuing to Madrid and Beijing.

The emergency measure specifically targets passengers whose regular CA866 flights were canceled prior to October 10. While the airline cited “technical reasons” for the recent disruptions, reports indicate the situation is linked to a severe shortage of Jet A-1 aviation fuel across Cuba. The shortage has affected ten international airports on the island, including Havana and Santiago de Cuba, and is expected to persist through November.

Due to the inability to refuel in Cuba, Air China has been forced to include a stop in Nassau since March. Some disruptions have also been attributed to runway rehabilitation work at the Nassau airport.