U.S. Caribbean Airspace Curbs to End After Maduro Capture

The United States has told airlines its Caribbean airspace restrictions will expire at midnight ET (0500 GMT), allowing flights to resume as schedules are updated, Reuters reports.

The announcement followed the cancellation of hundreds of flights after the U.S. military captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Major carriers, including United Airlines and Delta, said they expected to resume normal Caribbean operations by Sunday. United confirmed a flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Saturday night and said it expects most scheduled flights to operate on Sunday. Delta also said it plans to fly its normal schedule, adjusting resources as needed.

The cancellations affected American Airlines, Delta, United, Frontier, Spirit and JetBlue, following Federal Aviation Administration airspace closures. JetBlue alone canceled 215 flights. The FAA said the closures were due to «safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity,» while also warning non-U.S. carriers to avoid Venezuelan airspace because of «potential risk from anti-aircraft weaponry and heightened military activity.»

European and South American airlines also canceled flights amid the curbs. Some carriers waived change fees and fare differences for affected passengers.

Saturday’s U.S. military operation captured Maduro, with President Donald Trump stating the U.S. would temporarily take control of Venezuela if necessary. Commercial air traffic over Venezuelan airspace largely stopped following the operation, according to FlightRadar24 records.

Air Canada said its Caribbean and South American operations were operating normally under Transport Canada guidance and would provide updates if the situation changed.