US Military Operation Disrupts Caribbean Travel as Venezuela's Maduro is Captured
A chaotic weekend was experienced by Caribbean travelers due to disruptions caused by the US military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of the country. Airlines across the eastern Caribbean region, including major carriers like JetBlue and Southwest, cancelled hundreds of flights, leaving passengers stranded or unable to fly to their destinations.
The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) imposed restrictions on air travel over Venezuela, resulting in a complete shutdown of commercial flights over the country. Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Aruba, and several other islands in the Lesser Antilles were particularly affected, with nearly 60% of flights at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan being cancelled.
To help mitigate the impact, Southwest Airlines added six extra round-trip flights to Puerto Rico on Sunday's schedule and eight more round-trips to Aruba for Monday. The airline also increased Sunday flights to Aruba by two. The company aimed to alleviate pressure on airlines and travelers alike during a busy time for Caribbean travel.
The disruptions caused significant inconvenience, with many passengers facing unexpected expenses, including dog-sitting, cat-sitting, and car rentals that had been booked for their vacations. The experience was particularly tough for Lou Levine, whose flight from Puerto Rico to Washington D.C. was cancelled due to the US military operation.
Despite the challenges, officials expect a return to normal operations on Sunday at Aruba's Queen Beatrix airport, which is a popular destination for US vacationers just 15 miles off Venezuela's coast. The Prime Minister of Barbados expressed concerns about the consequences of the conflict, stating that both ports of entry – an airport and a seaport – were severely impacted.
Air Canada continued to operate flights normally despite the restrictions, although it provided passengers with the option to rebook their flights. WestJet also cancelled Aruba flights "out of an abundance of caution" due to the security situation in Venezuela.
The FAA announced that the restrictions would end at midnight EST on Saturday, allowing airlines to resume normal operations on Sunday. However, foreign airlines and military aircraft were not included in the restriction, which added complexity to air travel during this time.
Overall, the US military operation's disruption to Caribbean travel highlights the complexities of global security and its impact on daily life for travelers.
A chaotic weekend was experienced by Caribbean travelers due to disruptions caused by the US military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of the country. Airlines across the eastern Caribbean region, including major carriers like JetBlue and Southwest, cancelled hundreds of flights, leaving passengers stranded or unable to fly to their destinations.
The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) imposed restrictions on air travel over Venezuela, resulting in a complete shutdown of commercial flights over the country. Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Aruba, and several other islands in the Lesser Antilles were particularly affected, with nearly 60% of flights at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan being cancelled.
To help mitigate the impact, Southwest Airlines added six extra round-trip flights to Puerto Rico on Sunday's schedule and eight more round-trips to Aruba for Monday. The airline also increased Sunday flights to Aruba by two. The company aimed to alleviate pressure on airlines and travelers alike during a busy time for Caribbean travel.
The disruptions caused significant inconvenience, with many passengers facing unexpected expenses, including dog-sitting, cat-sitting, and car rentals that had been booked for their vacations. The experience was particularly tough for Lou Levine, whose flight from Puerto Rico to Washington D.C. was cancelled due to the US military operation.
Despite the challenges, officials expect a return to normal operations on Sunday at Aruba's Queen Beatrix airport, which is a popular destination for US vacationers just 15 miles off Venezuela's coast. The Prime Minister of Barbados expressed concerns about the consequences of the conflict, stating that both ports of entry – an airport and a seaport – were severely impacted.
Air Canada continued to operate flights normally despite the restrictions, although it provided passengers with the option to rebook their flights. WestJet also cancelled Aruba flights "out of an abundance of caution" due to the security situation in Venezuela.
The FAA announced that the restrictions would end at midnight EST on Saturday, allowing airlines to resume normal operations on Sunday. However, foreign airlines and military aircraft were not included in the restriction, which added complexity to air travel during this time.
Overall, the US military operation's disruption to Caribbean travel highlights the complexities of global security and its impact on daily life for travelers.
like i was stuck in puerto rico with no way out lol 
i feel bad 4 luis though his experience sounds super rough 
anyhoo so the FAA is liftin restrictions on saturday and airlines r goin back to normal ops 
but still wut a crazy weekend fer the caribbean region 
Can you believe Maduro got caught and now flights are all over the place? I mean, who needs a vacation to Venezuela anyway? 
And airlines are all like, "Uh, okay, can we just cancel our flights and hope for the best?" 
Puerto Rico's airport was basically shut down, that's crazy! 
Anyway, now we just have to wait until midnight EST on Saturday and hope for the best... or at least a decent refund 
.
! I was supposed to go to Puerto Rico last week with my family and we had to find last minute hotels and everything 
. It's so frustrating when you're trying to plan a fun trip and then something unexpected happens like this 
. And the extra costs of dog-sitting and car rentals? Not cool 
. I'm glad Southwest Airlines was able to add some extra flights, though - that was super helpful 
. Aruba is one of my fave islands anyway, so fingers crossed they can get back to normal soon 
And now all these flights are cancelled? 
We had booked our dog-sitting and cat-sitting too 
And Southwest is trying to help by adding extra flights but it's not the same 
He must be so stressed out 
What about all those people who have meetings or important appointments in Venezuela? 
How are they supposed to get there now? 
It's just chaos everywhere 
We should be concerned about the consequences of all this conflict 
Can't wait to see what happens next though 
We're all feeling a bit stranded here, with flights cancelled left and right, leaving us scrambling to book new ones. It's no wonder the Caribbean travelers are feeling frustrated, especially when you consider the cost of those dog-sitting services... 
flights got cancelled left & right, passengers are stuck with no idea when they can even fly again 
️ aruba's airport is supposed 2 b back 2 normal on sunday tho 
, can't believe I'm stuck in a loop of loading pages and scrolling through endless discussions about this news 
. First of all, the FAA's restrictions were totally unfair 
. Who are they to decide what air travel looks like for others? 
. I had a friend who was supposed to fly to the US for work, but now he's stuck in Puerto Rico 
, but it's not like they could've done anything about the initial cancellations 
.
. One thing is certain, though: the US military operation has served as a stark reminder of how quickly air travel can be turned upside down by geopolitics 
️
. Southwest Airlines trying to help out by adding extra flights, but still not ideal for passengers who got stuck 
. It's wild how security situations can impact travel plans so much 
.
airlines cancelling hundreds of flights leaving ppl stranded 
... hope people can get back to their vacations 
i mean who books dog sitting on a vacation anyway? 