Hundreds of flights cancelled after Venezuela operation

US military action in Venezuela has disrupted Caribbean air travel, forcing airlines to cancel hundreds of flights and reroute planes. FAA airspace restrictions led to suspensions across Puerto Rico and nearby islands, with carriers waiving change fees

New York: The US military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and flew him out of the country early Saturday has also disrupted Caribbean travel at a busy travel time for the region.

No airline flights were crossing over Venezuela on Saturday, according to FlightRadar24.com. And major airlines cancelled hundreds of flights across the eastern Caribbean region and warned passengers that the disruptions could continue for days after the Federal Aviation Administration imposed restrictions.

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Flights to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Aruba and other destinations near Venezuela were cancelled. The airlines are waiving change fees for passengers who have to reschedule their flights this weekend.

The FAA had earlier said it imposed a temporary airspace restriction on Puerto Rico’s international airport and surrounding regions.

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 US airlines have been suspended or may be cancelled.

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 cancelled 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 cancelled, 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 US aviation authorities.

Southwest said it cancelled 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 US and British Virgin Islands.

Delta said it has issued a travel waiver for customers travelling to or from 13 impacted airports through Tuesday.