The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily closed airspace in the Caribbean region early on 3/1, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations and delays. This occurred amidst US strikes on the South American nation of Venezuela, where President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were reportedly apprehended and taken to New York to face weapons and drug charges.

The airspace closure happened during the peak New Year travel season, preventing many passengers from returning to the US or continuing their journeys as planned. Data from FlightAware showed hundreds of flights canceled from popular Caribbean tourist destinations such as Aruba, San Juan, St. Barts, and St. Martin.

Passengers slept on the terminal floor at Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, Carolina, near San Juan, Puerto Rico, on 3/1. Photo: Reuters

On 3/1, at Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, near San Juan, Puerto Rico, many passengers rested on the terminal floor as flights were delayed. They awaited new information after the airspace closure linked to developments in Venezuela.

Julie Hurwitz, who was vacationing with her family on St. John, US Virgin Islands, at the start of the year, received a notification from Delta Airlines at 3 a.m. on 3/1 that her flight back to Atlanta was canceled with "almost no other information". "I learned about the conflict from other passengers," Hurwitz said.

Hurwitz's new flight was rescheduled for 6/1. Her family of 12 struggled to find temporary accommodation, with some scrambling to adjust work schedules to stay longer. The family even considered camping if suitable lodging could not be found. The original flight coincided with Hurwitz's granddaughter's birthday, and she hoped the schedule would not change.

Kelly and John Maher, a couple from Michigan, were also stranded in Anguilla. As they prepared to board a ferry to the airport in Saint Martin, they learned that all US commercial flights on 3/1 were grounded. "Everything just froze," John Maher stated.

The disruption also affected some celebrities. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio could not depart St. Barts to return to the US as planned, forcing him to miss the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

According to FlightAware data, the situation was gradually improving. At San Juan Airport, 57% of flights (equivalent to 200 flights) were canceled on 3/1. By 4/1, this number had decreased to 4% (23 flights).

On 4/1, the FAA lifted flight restrictions for commercial airlines, but the chaotic flight schedules still left many passengers scrambling to find alternative flights.

US airlines increased flights to clear the backlog of passengers. A representative for American Airlines stated that the airline was implementing a "full-scale operation" to assist passengers. The airline added nearly 7,000 seats with 43 additional flights, deploying its largest aircraft, the Boeing 777-300, for Caribbean routes.

Delta also advised passengers without same-day tickets to avoid coming to the airport due to "physical space limitations" at terminals in the region. United and Southwest were actively adding flights to bring stranded tourists home sooner.

By Mai Phuong (via CNN)