MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - Flights to and from the Caribbean were canceled due to the Federal Aviation Administration closing airspace in and around Venezuela after the capture of dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Due to the closing of airspace on Saturday, all flights over Venezuelan and southern Caribbean airspace was haled Saturday, leading to cancellations and delays at the Miami and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airports.
Many travelers at Miami International Airport were left frustrated, just as they were expecting the holiday travel rush to come to an end.
“It’s been pure and utter chaos,” said traveler Carey Guilbeau, who was heading to St. Croix.
“I actually told one employee here, about an hour and a half ago, that I was going to die,” said another traveler.
“I have been here for hours and hours and hours. It’s a six-hour line to even get an answer; three different people are giving me the wrong answer,” said Terry, a passenger at MIA.
FLL also experienced delays, with some airlines waiving fees for passengers who had to reschedule due to the events in Venezuela.
The FLL lifted the airspace restrictions at midnight Sunday, but that was little consolation for passengers at South Florida airports who were affected by the ripple effects.
“It’s the U.S. government’s fault, and it’s not the fault of the people at the airport,” said MIA traveler Katherine Hutchinson.
According to FlightAware, 107 flights were canceled Saturday at MIA due to the airspace restrictions, which resulted in baggage delivery delays and rebooking congestion.
“We were on our way to San Juan, and then the airspace closed, so we were stuck here, and we’ve had trouble with our bags, as everyone else, with very, very long lines,” said Hutchinson.
However, the airport reported only 12 cancellations on Sunday. American Airlines has added nearly 5,000 seats and their largest aicraft to the region since the airspace closure.
“The American Airlines people have been wonderful, patient,” said Hutchinson.
“Some of the American Airlines baggage people have been really great,” said another traveler.
A spokesperson with the Miami-Dade Aviation Department released a satement that reads:
“MIA is actively supporting its airlined and federal partners to assist travelers and return to normal operations.”
As flyers out of MIA did their best to keep their cool, a travel nightmare unfolded at FLL, where airport officials reported 177 cancelled flights on Saturday and 24 cancellations on Sunday.
Airlines advise travelers to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport.
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