A dramatic U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture and extraction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in the early hours of Saturday has triggered significant disruption to Caribbean aviation during one of the region’s peak travel periods. The aftermath has compelled major airlines to cancel hundreds of flights, with warnings of potential continued interruptions lasting several days.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented immediate airspace restrictions, leading to a complete halt of commercial airline traffic over Venezuelan airspace as tracked by FlightRadar24.com. The disruptions extended to key tourist destinations including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Aruba. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan officially confirmed the restrictions, attributing them directly to the “security situation related to military activity” in Venezuela.
In response, U.S. carriers have universally suspended operations to and from affected airports. JetBlue announced the cancellation of approximately 215 flights specifically citing “airspace closures across the Caribbean related to military activity.” Similarly, United Airlines stated it is actively adjusting its schedule to accommodate the Venezuela region closures, while Southwest canceled all Saturday flights to Aruba and suspended Puerto Rico services until late afternoon.
To mitigate passenger inconvenience, airlines are implementing flexible rebooking policies. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, and United are all waiving change fees for travel to a wide array of impacted islands, such as Saint Lucia, Curacao, Anguilla, and the British Virgin Islands. These travel advisories encourage all passengers to verify their flight status directly with their airline before departing for the airport. Notably, the FAA’s restrictions apply solely to U.S. commercial airlines and do not affect foreign carriers or military aircraft.