American tourists stranded across the Caribbean after airspace closed for Maduro capture

[ad_1] Regardless of the Federal Aviation Administration reopening the Jap Caribbean airspace following the dramatic seize of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces, some American vacationers mentioned they continue to be stranded throughout the area.

As airways scrambled on Sunday so as to add flights and get folks residence from the Caribbean, vacationers akin to Nydia Han mentioned they continue to be caught.

Han, an anchor and reporter for ABC Philadelphia station WPVI, mentioned she and her household had been speculated to fly from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Philadelphia on Sunday night time. However now, she mentioned she has been instructed by the airways that she will't get a flight residence till Friday.

Passengers wait at Luis Munoz Marin Worldwide Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as all flights are cancelled following the U.S. army motion in Venezuela, January 3, 2026.

Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP through Getty Photographs

"Sadly, due to Maduro's seize and airspace being closed, we're caught right here in Vieques," Han mentioned in a video she shared with ABC Information.

The FAA issued a so-called discover to airmen (NOTAM) to airways early Saturday that it was banning flights from getting into the Jap Caribbean airspace "on account of safety-of-flight danger related to ongoing army exercise."

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy mentioned in a social media submit afterward Saturday that the Caribbean airspace ban would expire at midnight Jap time on Sunday.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro is escorted by U.S. Drug Enforcement Brokers after arriving in New York Metropolis, January 3, 2026.

Obtained by ABC Information

Main U.S. air carriers -- together with Southwest, JetBlue, United, Delta and American -- canceled tons of of flights throughout the airspace ban and a few are scrambling so as to add further flights to the area to accommodate affected clients.

Flights all through the Caribbean -- together with different standard locations akin to Aruba, Bonaire Curacao, St. Martin and St. Thomas within the U.S. Virgin Islands -- had been additionally canceled throughout the airspace ban, however some airports are getting again to regular.

Flights had been arriving and departing from the Queen Beatrix Worldwide Airport in Oranjestad, Aruba, in accordance with FlightRadar24.

American Airways mentioned it's including 5,000 further seats to its Caribbean routes and deploying a Boeing 777-300, the most important aircraft in its fleet, to help clients.

About 29 flights into and out of Luis Muñoz Marín Worldwide Airport in Puerto Rico had been canceled on Sunday, a far cry from the 400 inbound and outbound flights canceled on Saturday.

Billy Gunther of Florida mentioned he and his spouse are newlyweds and had been wrapping up their keep at an Airbnb in Puerto Rico on Saturday after they obtained a notification that their flight was canceled.

Gunther instructed ABC affiliate station WZVN in Naples, Florida, that it may very well be one other three days earlier than he and his spouse get a flight again residence. Gunther mentioned he has spoken to different vacationers dealing with flight cancellations.