US Military Action in Venezuela Disrupts Holiday Travel Across Caribbean, Hundreds of Flights Cancelled

Washington DC: Travelling in the holiday season to the Caribbean region has been disrupted following the US military intervention in Venezuela, which violated international laws. Several flights were cancelled as the American action coincided with the peak tourist season in the region. According to FlightRadar24.com, not a single aircraft flew through Venezuelan airspace on the previous day. Hundreds of flights across the eastern Caribbean were cancelled by major airlines, and passengers have been warned that disruptions may continue for several days after the Federal Aviation Administration imposed restrictions.

Flights to and from Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Aruba, and the Lesser Antilles islands were cancelled. However, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the restrictions would be lifted soon and airlines would be able to resume normal operations from the following day.

Southwest Airlines said it has added six additional round-trip flights to Puerto Rico in the coming days, along with eight more round trips on Monday to help holiday travellers return home. Several other airlines have also increased services in the weeks ahead.

At Queen Beatrix International Airport in Aruba — a popular tourist destination located just 24 kilometres off the Venezuelan coast — passengers were stranded after flights were cancelled. Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley said at a press conference that the US intervention had seriously affected operations at two ports, one airport, and a cruise ship terminal in the country.

Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, announced on X that restrictions had been imposed due to the security situation. FlightAware.com reported that nearly 60 per cent of all arriving and departing flights at the airport were cancelled on Saturday.

Authorities said the restrictions do not apply to foreign airlines or military aircraft. Air Canada stated that flights to Caribbean islands were operating normally, while another Canadian carrier, WestJet, said it had cancelled flights to Aruba.

Due to the restrictions, all major US airlines cancelled flights across the eastern Caribbean on Saturday and adjusted their schedules. Around two dozen islands, including Anguilla, Antigua, Curacao, Saint Lucia, and the US and British Virgin Islands, were affected by the cancellations. However, popular western Caribbean tourist destinations such as the Dominican Republic and Jamaica were not impacted.

JetBlue, based in New York, said approximately 215 flights were cancelled after airspace across the Caribbean islands was closed in connection with military operations. Despite the cancellations, Dutch airline KLM said it plans to resume flights to and from Curacao, Aruba, Bonaire, and other islands starting Sunday.

Some passengers who had booked Caribbean cruises were also affected by the flight cancellations. Cruise operators in the region said tourists who were unable to reach San Juan, Puerto Rico, before their cruise departures would be offered alternative cruise options.