The Virgin Islands Port Authority alerted the public Saturday that it has received notice of several flight cancellations due to airport restrictions in the region after U.S. military strikes on Venezuela overnight in which the president of that country was captured.
While Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas and Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix are open, flights may be affected, according to the release. All USVI seaports are also open territory-wide, it said.
The U.S. government carried out the strikes on Venezuela overnight and captured its president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, to face drug and other charges in the United States.
A security order issued by the United States Federal Aviation Administration temporarily restricts airspace over Puerto Rico to U.S.-based air carriers and aircraft, according to VIPA’s release. “This measure responds to air safety considerations related to military activity in Venezuela. It is not associated with any situation within the USVI’s airports or the U.S. Virgin Islands,” it said.
As a result of this federal provision:
• The USVI’s airports are open, but flights to and from the STT and STX airports operated by U.S. airlines are suspended or could be cancelled.
• Foreign airlines and military aircraft are not subject to this restriction, per FAA authorizations.
• The measure has an initial validity of about 24 hours, subject to evaluation and possible extensions by the federal authorities.
Passengers are urged to verify directly with their airline the status of their flight before moving to the airport and to remain informed only through official channels.
VIPA remains in constant communication with the federal aviation authorities and its airline partners and will continue to let the public know of any official updates, according to the release. Further updates will be shared as they become available and posted on VIPA’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/usviports and its website, www.viport.com.
