Flights canceled across Caribbean after US raid in Venezuela

"U.S. military operations in Venezuela are upending travel in the Caribbean just as many vacationers are trying to get home from their winter breaks. Vacation hot spots such as Barbados, Aruba, Puerto Rico, Antigua, Barbuda, and Trinidad and Tobago were all reporting flight cancellations or delays Saturday due to the military activity. After months of military buildup in the southern Caribbean purportedly to disrupt drug trafficking routes the U.S. announced Saturday morning that it had captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife to stand trial in the U.S."

"Puerto Rico's tourism authority said the island's airspace was closed by the Federal Aviation Administration around 2 a.m. and at least 307 flights have been canceled so far. Total cancellations could increase, the agency warned. At the Luis Munoz Marin airport in San Juan, hundreds of people were camped out around the terminal sprawling on luggage and huddling around electrical outlets wondering how and when they were going to get home. Some had been told that the travel restrictions might be lifted at 1 a.m. on Sunday, and so they were determined to wait."

"JetBlue Airways Corp. said Saturday that it had canceled about 215 flights systemwide as a result of airspace closures across the Caribbean. The carrier noted in an emailed statement that flights to the Dominican Republic and Jamaica aren't affected by the government's restrictions. Customers whose flights are canceled may rebook their travel or request a refund, JetBlue said"

U.S. military operations in Venezuela disrupted travel across the Caribbean during peak holiday return travel. Multiple vacation destinations including Barbados, Aruba, Puerto Rico, Antigua, Barbuda and Trinidad and Tobago reported flight cancellations or delays. The U.S. captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife after months of a military buildup purportedly aimed at disrupting drug trafficking routes. The Federal Aviation Administration closed Puerto Rico's airspace around 2 a.m., leading to at least 307 cancellations and hundreds stranded at Luis Muñoz Marín airport. Airlines such as JetBlue canceled numerous flights systemwide and offered rebooking or refunds; some regional routes remained unaffected.

Read at www.bloomberg.com