The US military operation which resulted in Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro being captured and flown out of the country early on Saturday, has caused significant disruption to Caribbean air travel during a busy period.
Hundreds of flights across the eastern Caribbean region have been cancelled by major airlines, with no aircraft reportedly crossing Venezuelan airspace on Saturday, according to FlightRadar24.com.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed restrictions, leading to widespread cancellations for destinations including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Aruba.
Passengers have been warned that these disruptions could persist for several days. Airlines are currently waiving change fees for those needing to reschedule their weekend travel plans. The FAA had previously announced a temporary airspace restriction affecting Puerto Rico’s international airport and its surrounding areas.
An announcement by Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan posted on the social media site X said restrictions were put in place because of the “security situation related to military activity” in Venezuela.
As a result, most commercial airlines to and from the airport that are operated by U.S. airlines have been suspended or may be canceled.
Foreign airlines and military aircraft are not included in this restriction, the statement said. “Passengers are urged to check the status of their flight directly with their airline before heading to the airport.”
JetBlue said it canceled about 215 flights “due to airspace closures across the Caribbean related to military activity.” It also noted that flights to the Dominican Republic and Jamaica were not affected by the government’s restrictions. Customers could rebook their travel or request a refund if the flights were canceled, the company said.
United said it was adjusting its schedule to account for airspace closures in the Venezuela region. It said customers could change their travel plans in the region for free as it continued to monitor the situation and worked with U.S. aviation authorities.
Southwest said it canceled all Aruba flights for Saturday and suspended Puerto Rico flights until late afternoon, but flights to the Dominican Republic were unaffected.
American said it was waiving change fees for flights to and from about 20 island destinations, including Anguilla, Antigua, Curacao, Saint Lucia and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.
Delta said it has issued a travel waiver for customers traveling to or from 13 impacted airports through Tuesday.
