Passengers sleep on the floor at Rafael Hernández International Airport in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, after an overnight U.S. attack on Venezuela closed airspace, delayed and canceled flights.
Reuters/Ricardo Arduengo
Airlines canceled flights across the Caribbean on Saturday after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered commercial aircraft to avoid some airspace in the region in the wake of the U.S. attack on Venezuela.
President Donald Trump said Saturday that a U.S. airstrike captured and removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
U.S. airlines have canceled dozens of flights to airports in Puerto Rico and Aruba, according to flight tallies on FlightAware and airline sites.
”american airlines “We are aware of the Eastern Caribbean airspace closure that was issued late at night and are closely monitoring the situation with the FAA. The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority and we are adjusting our schedules as necessary,” the company said in a statement.
southwest airlines and jet blue airlines Cancellations were also seen in the Caribbean.
JetBlue, which operates extensively in the Caribbean, said it had canceled approximately 215 flights “due to airspace closures across the Caribbean related to military activities.” The airline said its flights to the Dominican Republic and Jamaica are not affected by government restrictions.
Such widespread restrictions are often temporary, but it is not immediately clear how long the disruption will last.
Major U.S. airlines have not offered direct flights to Venezuela for years. American Airlines was the last major U.S. airline to suspend service to the country in 2019 following unrest there.
