It appears that the Venezuela operation has spread beyond Venezuela. One of the many effects of this operation was that flights to and from the Caribbean were facing many cancellations. While being stranded in the Caribbean doesn't sound like the worst thing in the world, it has greatly impacted the lives of many civilians.
Venezuela Operation Leaves Several Families Stranded In The Caribbean
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Although everyone jokes that they are never ready to leave their vacation, no one actually ever imagines being stuck there. However, for several families from Philadelphia, that possibility quickly turned into their reality. ABC6 Action News shared the details about two families who were stranded in the Caribbean thanks to flight cancellations from the Venezuela operation.
Although said restrictions have been lifted, travelers are still feeling the aftereffects of these cancellations. One such traveler, the outlet shared, is Emily Cheramie-Walz of Elkins Park. She and her family are from Montgomery County and are now stranded in Saint Martin until Friday, despite their original plans of flying home Saturday. Their original flight was canceled due to the earlier flight restrictions.
Rather than enjoying more time in the sun, Emily admitted that she and her family were stressed. "We don't know what's going to happen," she told the outlet. Additionally, her delay means she will be missing her swearing-in ceremony as "a Cheltenham Township commissioner."
Stuck In Paradise, Not As Happy As It Sounds
Emily and her family are not the only ones who are stranded in the Caribbean as a result of the Venezuela operation. Pete Santoro of Landenberg and his family are also stuck. The surgeon shared that not only is this stressful for his family, but also for the patients who were counting on his return. "Really terrible for patients," he admitted to the outlet. "They're going to have their operation delayed."
Some people were lucky enough to score a flight back home, but it wasn't without a great deal of effort. Ashley Shapiro and her fiancée, Casey Snyder, from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, managed to make it home. However, they had to explore all their options. They were willing to fly through multiple countries just to make it home. They even discussed flying into Toronto and driving back to the US.
ABC6 Action News shared that American Airlines is doing everything it can to try to get those stranded back home. They have "added 5,000 additional seats, extra flights, and larger aircraft to help get passengers home." Hoping everyone makes it home soon.
