US Lifts Caribbean Airspace Restrictions Following Military Operation In Venezuela

Tens of thousands of travelers were left stranded during the post-holiday rush after the U.S. temporarily restricted airspace over parts of the Caribbean following military strikes on Venezuela. Those restrictions have now been lifted. According to Reuters, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had closed portions of Eastern Caribbean airspace to U.S. commercial flights after the United States conducted a military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced late Saturday on his X account that the restrictions would be lifted when appropriate, allowing airlines to resume normal operations and begin the complex process of accommodating the massive backlog of stranded passengers. The temporary flight curbs had forced carriers to cancel hundreds of flights throughout the region on Saturday. The cancellations created a logistical nightmare at numerous Caribbean airports, where travelers found themselves unexpectedly extending their holiday stays without accommodations or facing financial strain.

Airlines Scramble To Accommodate Travelers Stranded In The Caribbean

Major U.S. carriers wasted no time responding to the lifted restrictions, with American Airlines adding 17 extra flights between various Caribbean destinations and its hubs in Miami and Charlotte, CNBC reported. The airline deployed its largest aircraft, including two Boeing 777-300s that seat 304 passengers each, for San Juan-Miami round-trips to maximize capacity.

Southwest Airlines added six extra round-trips from San Juan on Sunday and another eight on Monday, along with additional flights to Aruba. United and Delta also planned supplementary flights, with carriers evaluating the use of larger planes typically reserved for transatlantic or transpacific routes to accommodate the surge in demand.

Despite these efforts, many travelers reported difficulties finding available seats, with some facing potential waits until the end of the week before securing flights back to the United States. “They have a day’s worth of passengers basically, still waiting to travel,” airline analyst Robert Mann commented, per TravelPulse.

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