The capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has severely impacted Caribbean holiday travel, resulting in hundreds of flight cancellations and FAA-imposed airspace restrictions. Passengers are advised to check for updates as disruptions may continue.
International
-Sathish Raman
The
capture
of
Venezuelan
President
Nicolas
Maduro
by
the
US
military
early
Saturday
has
caused
significant
disruptions
in
Caribbean
travel.
According
to
FlightRadar24.com,
no
flights
were
passing
over
Venezuela
on
that
day.
Major
airlines
have
cancelled
numerous
flights
across
the
eastern
Caribbean
and
warned
that
these
disruptions
might
persist
for
several
days
due
to
restrictions
imposed
by
the
Federal
Aviation
Administration
(FAA).
image
The
capture
of
Venezuelan
President
Nicolas
Maduro
has
severely
impacted
Caribbean
holiday
travel,
resulting
in
hundreds
of
flight
cancellations
and
FAA-imposed
airspace
restrictions.
Passengers
are
advised
to
check
for
updates
as
disruptions
may
continue.
Flights
to
destinations
such
as
Puerto
Rico,
the
Virgin
Islands,
and
Aruba
were
among
those
cancelled.
Airlines
are
allowing
passengers
to
change
their
travel
plans
without
incurring
fees.
The
FAA
had
earlier
announced
a
temporary
airspace
restriction
around
Puerto
Rico’s
international
airport
and
nearby
areas.
This
was
due
to
a
“security
situation
related
to
military
activity” in
Venezuela,
as
stated
by
Luis
Muñoz
Marín
International
Airport
in
San
Juan
on
social
media
platform
X.
Airlines
Respond
to
Airspace
Restrictions
JetBlue
reported
cancelling
approximately
215
flights
because
of
airspace
closures
linked
to
military
actions.
However,
flights
to
the
Dominican
Republic
and
Jamaica
remained
unaffected
by
these
restrictions.
Passengers
whose
flights
were
cancelled
could
either
rebook
or
request
a
refund.
United
Airlines
also
adjusted
its
schedule
in
response
to
airspace
closures
in
the
Venezuelan
region,
offering
free
changes
for
affected
customers
while
coordinating
with
US
aviation
authorities.
Southwest
Airlines
cancelled
all
Aruba
flights
for
Saturday
and
suspended
Puerto
Rico
flights
until
late
afternoon.
However,
services
to
the
Dominican
Republic
continued
as
scheduled.
American
Airlines
waived
change
fees
for
flights
involving
about
20
island
destinations,
including
Anguilla,
Antigua,
Curacao,
Saint
Lucia,
and
both
the
US
and
British
Virgin
Islands.
Impact
on
Travel
Plans
Delta
Airlines
issued
a
travel
waiver
for
customers
flying
to
or
from
13
affected
airports
through
Tuesday.
The
statement
from
Luis
Muñoz
Marín
International
Airport
clarified
that
foreign
airlines
and
military
aircraft
were
not
subject
to
these
restrictions.
Passengers
were
advised
to
confirm
their
flight
status
directly
with
their
airline
before
heading
to
the
airport.
The
ongoing
situation
has
led
airlines
like
United
and
JetBlue
to
closely
monitor
developments
while
working
with
aviation
authorities.
These
measures
aim
to
minimise
inconvenience
for
travellers
during
this
busy
travel
period
in
the
Caribbean.
The
disruption
caused
by
the
US
military
operation
highlights
the
broader
impact
of
geopolitical
events
on
international
travel.
As
airlines
navigate
these
challenges,
passengers
are
encouraged
to
stay
informed
about
potential
changes
to
their
travel
plans.
With
inputs
from
PTI
