Flights suspended as Cuba faces fuel crisis

Summary

Marketplace Morning Report – February 11, 2026

Episode Summary: Flights Suspended as Cuba Faces Fuel Crisis

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Main Theme

This episode focuses on two key economic stories:

1. The acute fuel crisis in Cuba and its impact on tourism, sparked by a U.S.-led blockade and leading to widespread flight suspensions.
2. The rapidly growing global market for electric motorbikes, with industry leaders and new riders weighing in on challenges and opportunities.

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1. Cuba’s Aviation Fuel Crisis: Air Travel Halted

(00:52–03:21)

Key Points

• Severe Shortages: Cuba is experiencing its worst fuel crisis in decades, causing major disruptions—particularly in aviation.
• Flight Suspensions: Air Canada canceled all flights to Cuba due to the inability to refuel in Havana. Other international airlines are closely monitoring the situation.
• Impact on Tourism and Daily Life: Tourism, the lifeblood of Cuba’s economy, is hit hardest. Around 3,000 Canadian tourists are still in the country and are being ferried home.
• Roots of the Crisis: The crisis is driven by U.S. efforts—initiated under the Trump administration—to impose an oil blockade, with the White House threatening tariffs on any country supplying oil to Havana.
• Wider Effects: Rationing now extends to cars, public transport, and even health services; only half a tank of fuel is allowed, and cash payments are increasingly restricted to U.S. dollars.
• Atmosphere on the Ground: The mood is bleak, with ordinary Cubans waiting for hours in vain for fuel tankers.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Local Perspective (01:36):
  Guy Kilty, quoting a Cuban resident:
  “I've spent two hours waiting for the fuel tanker to arrive and no sign of it.”
• Bleak Prognosis (02:34):
  Will Grant, BBC correspondent:
  “It is a very, very bleak picture on the island right now.”

Timestamps

• [00:52] – Guy Kilty introduces Cuba’s fuel shortages and the tourism fallout
• [01:57] – Will Grant details the economic and social impact, and the political context
• [03:21] – Segue to financial update

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2. The Expanding Electric Motorbike Market

(04:16–07:54)

Key Points

• Rising Sales & New Entrants: Global electric motorbike sales grew 7% in the first half of 2025. While dominated by Chinese and Indian firms, major brands like Honda and Royal Enfield are entering the market.
• Models and Strategies:
  • Honda is launching its WN7, a high-powered electric bike, globally this year.
  • Royal Enfield plans to release “Flying Flea” electrics focused on "City Plus" usage.
• Market Dynamics & Barriers:
  • Entry by mainstream manufacturers could be a tipping point for mass adoption.
  • Range and battery technology are critical for broader appeal.
  • Price remains a significant hurdle—Honda’s WN7 is priced at $17,000, at the high end of its category.
• Generational Change: Younger riders are seen as instrumental in driving the shift towards EV bikes due to their familiarity with digital and green tech.
• Consumer Perspectives:
  • Munir Kazi, a young rider, is enthusiastic and ready to “embrace the future.”
  • Mohammed Sheikh, a veteran biker, is nostalgic for classic features like engine noise but would be swayed by affordability.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Industry Perspective (04:45):
  Andrew Mineko, Honda UK:
  “Once a mainstream manufacturer enters the market, then it will kind of break the glass ceiling.”
• Industry Association Outlook (05:19):
  Tony Campbell, Motorcycle Industry Association:
  "We'll start to see more battery electric, bigger bikes finding their way into leisure motorcycling ... The world's changing and I think we will also see other new technologies."
• Young Rider’s View (06:11):
  Munir Kazi, test-rider:
  “Everything feels good on it. I want to know how it rides without the engine noise, without the gear, without the clutches ... Embrace the future. It's going that way.”
• Veteran Rider’s View (06:28):
  Mohammed Sheikh:
  “I think I'm going to miss the engine noise, the feel of the clutch, the rattle of the chain.”
  On converting: “If you lower the price, then I probably would consider it.”
• Company Strategy (07:29):
  Matt Cardenas, Royal Enfield:
  “We can't have a one size fits all strategy. … You need something that is good enough to run around day to day, but then to get you outside of the city ... to the beach, or ... into the mountains.”

Timestamps

• [04:16] – Elizabeth Hodgson on the explosion of the electric motorbike market
• [04:45] – Honda’s Andrew Mineko on big brands changing the landscape
• [05:19] – Tony Campbell on the coming rise of electric leisure bikes
• [06:02] – Munir Kazi & Mohammed Sheikh discuss hands-on impressions
• [06:59] – Royal Enfield’s electrification approach

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3. Other Business Headlines

(03:21–04:16)

• Heineken: Shares are up 5% after reporting increases in annual operating profit, amid simultaneous job cuts (5,000–6,000 globally).
• China’s Consumer Inflation: Rose just 0.2% from a year prior, below expectations.
• Harrods Scandal: 180+ survivors of abuse claims involving Mohamed Al Fayed have sought compensation; ~50 have received payments.

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Conclusion

This episode offers a snapshot of major international economies in flux—Cuba’s acute fuel crisis threatens the tourism sector and daily life, while the electric motorbike sector stands poised for transformation, as both industry titans and a new generation of riders push towards electrification. The mood is one of grim struggle in Havana but cautious optimism and innovation in the EV market.

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Produced by: Neil Morrow & Elizabeth Hodgson
Host: Guy Kilty (BBC World Service for Marketplace)

Transcript

[Marketplace Host]

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[Guy Kilty]

Cuba faces its worst fuel crisis in decades Live from the uk, this is the Marketplace Morning Report from from the BBC World Service, I'm Guy Kilty. Good morning. Cuba's tourism industry has suffered a major blow after dozens of flights were cancelled because of a lack of aviation fuel. Air Canada, which flies many tourists to the Caribbean island, suspended flights on Monday because of the shortages. The scarcity of jet fuel is the latest result of efforts by the Trump administration to impose an effective oil blockade on the communist nation. The White House is threatening tariffs on any country which supplies Havana and local people are already feeling the pain. I've spent two hours waiting for the fuel tanker to arrive and no sign of it.

[Will Grant]

We don't know if it's coming and.

[Guy Kilty]

This is paying in dollars. I've been here for five hours, no tanker yet and no idea if it's coming. They say it's coming, but who knows in Cuban pesos or foreign currency, whatever. So what does this mean for air travel to and from Cuba? The BBC's Will Grant reports is pretty.

[Will Grant]

Significant first and foremost because Canada is the primary source of tourists to Cuba, so the immediate impact will be there. And Air Canada is saying that it's suspending its flights, that it will be ferrying out those customers who are still there around about 3,000 they believe are still in the country and getting them home. But of course this is having an effect on other airlines who are looking at their services, wondering exactly how they're going to do things, because it's quite simple. They cannot refuel in Havana. So short haul flights to Mexico and Miami should still run, but it is going to get increasingly tough for those flights from Turkey, Russia, Madrid and so on. I think ultimately the intention of the Trump administration is to squeeze the island in every which way possible over fuel and by doing so, really damage its tourism industry in the short term and medium term. Those airlines are watching this very, very closely, working out if they can refuel elsewhere and then jump, but that might not be possible. So this is having a huge knock on effect because it's not the only way that oil supply is being harming life in Cuba. Rationing is taking place, of course, in terms of cars, people can only fill about half a tank. They can only pay in US dollars. Health services are being affected, public transport, schools are being shuttered. I mean, it is a very, very bleak picture on the island right now.

[Guy Kilty]

Will Grant there, let's do the numbers. Shares in Heineken were up around 5% after the Dutch brewing giant reported a rise in annual operating profit. The company also said it plans to cut 5,000 to 6,000 jobs over the next two years, around 7% of its global staff. And China's consumer inflation rose less than expected in January, up 0.2% from a year earlier. The British department store Harrods says more than 180 survivors of abuse by the store's former owner, Mohamed Al Fayed has have applied for financial compensation. Hundreds of women have accused the late Egyptian billionaire of rape and sexual assault while working at Harrods. The luxury retailer says around 50 women have received payments to date. Sales of electric motorbikes are growing and it's no longer just the preserve of niche manufacturers. The BBC's Elizabeth Hodson's been looking at this rapidly growing market.

[Elizabeth Hodgson]

When we talk about electric vehicles, we're usually thinking about cars. But the electric motorbike market is also growing. For the last decade, it's been dominated by high volume, low cost Chinese and Indian models. But now some of the most famous names in biking are getting involved. Honda is one of them. Later this year, its first high powered electric motorbike, the WN7, is being rolled out globally. Andrew Mineko is head of motorcycles for the company's UK division.

[Will Grant]

There's a belief not just from Honda, but from a lot of people in the industry that once a mainstream manufacturer enters the market, then it will kind of break the glass ceiling.

[Elizabeth Hodgson]

According to research firm Motorcycle Data, global sales of electric motorbikes were up 7% in the first half of 2025. At the recent Motorcycle Live show in the UK city of Birmingham. Tony Campbell, CEO of the UK's Motorcycle Industry association, told me that as batteries improve, Honda could be followed by other global manufacturers.

[Tony Campbell]

I think we'll start to see more battery electric, bigger bikes finding their way into sort of leisure motorcycling you know, where the range can be comparable to a full tank of fuel. And that's when I think we'll see a wider adoption of battery electric. The world's changing and I think we will also see other new technologies that come to the market in addition to battery electric.

[Elizabeth Hodgson]

But as the market stands in 2026, Tony says that newer riders could be the key to success for bikes like Honda's WN7.

[Tony Campbell]

This new generation of riders coming through, they are looking at technologies that they're very much used to. They've grown up in a digital age and therefore there's an expectation that electric bikes will be an option for them.

[Elizabeth Hodgson]

At the show, I met Munir Kazi, who is testing out an electric motorbike from US company Zero Maneer has been riding for around a year.

[Munir Kazi / Mohammed Sheikh]

Everything feels good on it. I want to know how it rides without the engine noise, without the gear, without the clutches. No. Definitely intrigued. Embrace the future. It's going that way.

[Elizabeth Hodgson]

But Mania's uncle Mohammed Sheikh, who's been riding all his adult life, says he could maybe be persuaded too.

[Munir Kazi / Mohammed Sheikh]

I think I'm going to miss the engine noise, the feel of the clutch, the rattle of the chain.

[Elizabeth Hodgson]

What would it take, Mohammed, for you to go electric?

[Munir Kazi / Mohammed Sheikh]

If you lower the price, then I probably would consider it.

[Elizabeth Hodgson]

And price is something that Andrew Mineco from Honda is very aware of. With the WN7 costing around $17,000, which places it at the mid to high end of its petrol equivalent.

[Will Grant]

We looked at the marketplace and we look at where we can actually crack the market. If we went in at a very, very high price, it could stall the whole process.

[Elizabeth Hodgson]

Another major entrant into the electric motorcycle market is the premium Indian brand Royal Enfield. Its flying Flea bikes are coming later this year. And Matt Cardenas heads up the company's electrification strategy.

[Munir Kazi / Mohammed Sheikh]

We've seen extremely strong demand for electrification in India year over year. There's 20, 30% growth. But then even when you look at Europe and the UK and North America and South America, we see that market continuing to grow over the next few years.

[Elizabeth Hodgson]

Matt says that companies like his can't have a one size fits all strategy. And they have to focus, at least for now, on where and how the bikes will be used.

[Munir Kazi / Mohammed Sheikh]

We focus our electrification strategy on what we call City Plus. You need something that is good enough to run around day to day, but then to get you outside of the city, let's say to the beach, if you. Or if you live in Bangalore on the weekend, you may want to get up into the mountains and visit the lakes.

[Elizabeth Hodgson]

Whilst electric motorbikes are a long way from replacing petrol power, as more big name manufacturers roll out shiny new models, 2026 could be a pivotal year in them becoming Mainstream. And the BBC's Elizabeth Hodgson for Marketplace.

[Guy Kilty]

That's it from us. Today's producers were Neil Morrow and Elizabeth Hodson. In the UK, I'm Guy Kilty with the Marketplace Morning Report from the BBC World Service.

[Munir Kazi / Mohammed Sheikh]

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