Thousands of tourists fell into a helpless situation, having to lie on the airport floor or find temporary accommodation because of airspace restrictions when the US raided Venezuela.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily closed airspace in the Caribbean region early on the morning of January 3, causing hundreds of flights to be canceled and delayed. The incident took place in the context of the US raid on the South American country of Venezuela, arresting President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and taking them to New York to face weapons and drug charges.
The airspace closure took place during the peak New Year travel period, causing many passengers to be unable to return to the US or continue their journey as planned. According to data from FlightAware, hundreds of flights from popular Caribbean tourist destinations such as Aruba, San Juan, St. Barts or St. Martin is cancelled.
Passengers sleep on the terminal floor at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, Carolina, near San Juan, Puerto Rico, on January 3. Image: Reuters
On January 3, at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, near San Juan, Puerto Rico, many passengers rested on the terminal floor when flights were delayed. They wait for new information after the airspace was closed related to developments in Venezuela.
Julie Hurwitz, traveling with family to St. John, US Virgin Islands, at the beginning of the year, received a notification from Delta Airlines at 3:00 a.m. on January 3 about the flight returning to Atlanta being canceled and “almost no other information included”. “I learned about the war situation from other passengers,” Hurwitz said.
Hurwitz received news that the new flight was changed to January 6. The family of 12 people struggled to find temporary accommodation. Some people quickly arranged their work to stay and wait for a new flight. Her family considered camping if they couldn’t find a suitable place to live. The flight coincided with Hurwitz’s niece’s birthday and she hoped the schedule would not be changed.
Kelly and John Maher, from Michigan, were also stuck in Anguilla. When they were preparing to board the ferry to go to the airport in Saint Martin, they learned that all US commercial flights on January 3 could not take off. “Everything froze completely,” John Maher said.
The disruption also affected some celebrities. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio also cannot leave the island of St. Barts to return to the US as planned, was forced to be absent from the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
According to data from FlightAware, the situation is gradually improving. At San Juan airport, on January 3, 57% of flights (equivalent to 200 flights) were canceled. On January 4, this number decreased to 4% (23 trips).
On January 4, the FAA lifted flight restrictions on commercial airlines, but the chaotic flight schedule still left many passengers passive when looking for alternative flights.
US airlines have increased flights to relieve the backlog of passengers. A representative of American Airlines said the company is implementing a “total force” campaign to support passengers. The airline added nearly 7,000 seats with 43 additional flights, mobilizing the largest aircraft in the fleet, the Boeing 777-300, to serve routes in the Caribbean.
Delta also advised passengers without same-day tickets to avoid going to the airport due to “physical space limitations” at area stations. United and Southwest airlines are actively adding flights to bring stranded travelers home soon.