The United States has lifted restrictions on flights in Caribbean airspace, which were imposed after night strikes on Venezuela and the capture of Nicolas Maduro. US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced that the Federal Aviation Administration's restrictions expired at midnight Eastern Time, allowing airlines to promptly update flight schedules, UNN reports.
Details
Leading air carriers have already begun to return to their usual operating schedule in the region. United Airlines has scheduled its first flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico, for Saturday evening and expects most scheduled departures to be completed by Sunday.
In turn, Delta Air Lines expects to operate on a normal schedule starting January 4, although it warns of possible resource reallocation. Other major companies, such as American Airlines, JetBlue, Frontier, and Spirit, have also begun the process of restoring service after mass cancellations occurred on Saturday.
Consequences for passengers
Despite the opening of the sky, aviation analysts note that it will take several days for the system to fully stabilize. The main problem remains the large number of passengers stranded on Caribbean islands due to the sudden closure of airspace. Airlines will have to not only operate current flights but also look for additional opportunities to transport those who could not fly earlier. Passengers are strongly advised to check the status of their bookings through official carrier channels before traveling to the airport.