Holiday travel delays continue after Venezuela operation
Several families from the Philadelphia region remain stranded across the Caribbean after flight cancellations linked to recent U.S. operations in Venezuela disrupted travel plans. While flight restrictions have since been lifted, travelers say lingering delays continue to affect departures throughout the region.
Families stuck abroad face mounting stress
Emily Cheramie-Walz of Elkins Park said her family of five has been unable to return home from Saint Martin as scheduled. Their original flight was canceled, forcing them to remain abroad until later this week.
Cheramie-Walz said the unexpected delay has created uncertainty and additional expenses, while also affecting important commitments back home. She is set to be sworn in as a Cheltenham Township commissioner and is now hoping to attend the ceremony virtually.
“We have jobs, school, and responsibilities waiting for us,” she said. “This is not something we planned for, and it’s incredibly stressful.”
Professional impacts extend beyond travel
Pete Santoro of Landenberg, a surgeon traveling with his wife and two sons, is also stuck in Saint Martin after a series of canceled and rebooked flights. He said the delay has consequences beyond his family, including postponed medical procedures for his patients.
Santoro described spending hours attempting to rebook flights and dealing with uncertainty about when he would be able to return to work.
Some travelers find alternative routes home
Not all travelers were left stranded. Ashley Shapiro and her fiancée, Casey Snyder, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, managed to secure a return flight after exploring several complex travel routes from Aruba.
The couple said they considered traveling through multiple countries and even driving across borders just to make it back to the United States. Ultimately, they found a flight through Atlanta, arriving in Philadelphia early Monday morning.
“Getting back on U.S. soil was all we cared about,” Snyder said. “It was an enormous relief.”
Airlines work to clear backlog
American Airlines said it added thousands of additional seats, deployed larger aircraft, and scheduled extra flights to help accommodate stranded passengers. Travelers are encouraged to monitor airline updates closely as schedules continue to normalize.
Despite these efforts, many passengers across the Caribbean remain in limbo, highlighting how geopolitical events can have far-reaching effects on civilian travel long after restrictions are lifted.
