Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Defense has confirmed the nation’s airspace remains fully operational despite significant disruptions to US-originating commercial flights following American military operations in Venezuela. The developments occurred on January 3 when the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated that all departing flights return to US territory.
Among the affected flights was a JetBlue service destined for Trinidad, which received return instructions minutes after departing from New York’s JFK International Airport. The Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago reported multiple cancellations including services operated by KLM, United Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue, and Amerijet Cargo due to the FAA’s prohibition on US commercial aviation utilizing Venezuelan airspace.
In contrast, Caribbean Airlines confirmed its operations continued without disruption, maintaining all scheduled services. The flight cancellations followed a dramatic US military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife at a Caracas military base, with additional targets destroyed during the early hours of January 3.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar explicitly stated that Trinidad and Tobago played no role in the military intervention, emphasizing the country’s non-involvement in the operation while ensuring continued aviation accessibility through its sovereign airspace.