Copa Airlines Keeps Flying to Cuba by Tankering Fuel from Panama

While airlines around the world cancel flights to Cuba, Copa Airlines has emerged as one of the few carriers maintaining normal operations to the island. Their secret: a logistical workaround known as tankering.

Extra Fuel from Panama

“Copa Airlines continues operating its flights from Panama normally. Given that it’s a relatively short route, we’re loading additional fuel in Panama (tankering), which allows us to complete both legs without needing to refuel in Havana,” the airline told EFE.

Tankering involves loading more fuel than needed at the departure airport to avoid refueling at the destination. The relatively short distance between Panama City and Havana — about three hours of flight time — makes this strategy feasible.

The Context: An Unprecedented Airline Exodus

Copa’s decision stands in stark contrast to the wave of cancellations hitting Cuba this week:

• Canada: Air Canada, WestJet, Transat, and Sunwing suspended all routes, cutting off Cuba’s top tourist market
• Russia: Rossiya and Nordwind cancelled flights and evacuated 4,000 tourists
• Spain: Iberia and Air Europa modified schedules to include intermediate refueling stops

Cuban authorities informed airlines that they cannot guarantee jet fuel supply at any of the country’s nine international airports — a situation unprecedented since the Special Period of the 1990s.

Why It Matters

For Cuban diaspora members and travelers who need to reach the island, Copa Airlines represents one of the few viable air connections left. The Panama-Havana route has become a crucial air bridge amid Cuba’s worst energy crisis in decades.

However, tankering has its limits. If the crisis continues and more airlines abandon the Cuban market, pressure on the few remaining routes could mean higher prices and fewer available seats.

The Root of the Problem

Cuba stopped receiving Venezuelan oil after the US military operation that captured Nicolás Maduro on January 3. In late January, Trump’s executive order threatened tariffs on any country supplying crude to the island, which also halted shipments from Mexico.

The Cuban government’s emergency measures include public transit shutdowns, university closures, a four-day work week, and tourist relocations to hotels that still have generators.

Meanwhile, Mexican Navy ships docked in Havana on Thursday carrying 814 tons of humanitarian aid — food and medicine, but no fuel.