Venezuela Strike Disrupts Flights at RLB Airport

BASSETERRE: The Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport experienced flight cancellations and delays Saturday following US military strikes in Venezuela that disrupted airspace across the Americas and Caribbean.

Airport Manager Don Grant explained that early Saturday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration issued notices restricting the use of airspace, affecting US-registered aircraft traveling to the region.

“Airports are interconnected. Any action within the airspace whether it’s close or not, we are guided by what you call notams,” Grant said, referring to Notices to Airmen that alert pilots to potential hazards.

Grant noted that St. Kitts and Nevis operates within the Trinidad Flight Information Region, meaning restrictions on US aircraft would directly impact flights to the island. “The US registered aircraft would have been affected in traveling to our area, our aircraft into the airspace,” he explained.

Despite the regional disruption, airport officials moved quickly to ensure RLB remained operational for regional flights. Grant confirmed his team immediately contacted partner airlines including American Airlines, United, and Delta to inform them of the airport’s availability.

“Once they know that we’re available, it was on their end to decide whether they’re going to come or not. But we had to make sure that the airspace and airport was open and available for them,” Grant stated.

The airport disruptions underscore CARICOM’s concerns about the “multifaceted impact” of the Venezuela situation on regional economic activity, particularly air travel. The regional body has pledged to continue monitoring implications for Caribbean connectivity as the situation evolves.

Multiple airports across North, Central, and South America experienced similar disruptions Saturday.