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The hurricane Melissa, which is moving powerfully through the Caribbean after reaching Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale this Sunday, October 26, has begun to disrupt air traffic in the region and threatens to complicate flights to Cuba, just as the phenomenon approaches the eastern part of the country in the coming hours.
According to the specialized portal Aviacionline, regional airlines such as InterCaribbean Airways and Cayman Airways were the first to announce cancellations and itinerary changes.
InterCaribbean suspended several key routes between Saturday, October 25, and Monday, October 27, including flights connecting Santiago de Cuba and Kingston, as well as routes between Providenciales, Bridgetown, and the Jamaican capital.
The company announced that passengers affected on flight JY251 (Kingston–Providenciales) on Sunday, the 26th, will be able to rebook on flight JY613, which will depart this Saturday from Kingston with a stop in Santiago de Cuba.
Meanwhile, Cayman Airways announced that it will allow date changes without penalty for travelers with tickets affected by the cyclone, a measure aimed at minimizing the impact on hundreds of passengers in transit through the region.
For its part, the Venezuelan airline Conviasa confirmed the temporary suspension of its flights to Mexico, Cuba, and Nicaragua until October 28, "due to the presence of Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean Sea," as reported by the company on its official Instagram account, referenced by Noticias Venevisión.
The company stated that it will continue "monitoring the evolution of the climatic phenomenon to ensure the safety of flights" and will announce the new rescheduling dates soon.
Regionally, major North American airlines are also modifying their operations. Bloomberg Línea reported that Air Canada and Air Transat added extra flights, while American Airlines increased its capacity at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica, to facilitate the departure of travelers ahead of worsening weather conditions. In contrast, JetBlue, Southwest, and Caribbean Airlines canceled scheduled flights between Sunday and Tuesday.
The aerial situation is further complicated by airport closures in Jamaica. According to the Miami Herald, Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston suspended its operations on Saturday night, and Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay is expected to follow suit in the coming hours. Local authorities indicated that the terminals will remain closed until the danger has passed.
Meanwhile, in Cuba, the meteorological authorities are closely monitoring the hurricane's path, which could impact the eastern and central regions of the country with heavy rains, high waves, and strong winds.
Although no other flight cancellations for the national territory have been announced yet, Cuban airports are on alert for possible disruptions in the coming days.
On the island, the eastern airports that could be affected by the passage of the hurricane are primarily the Frank País International (Holguín) and Antonio Maceo (Santiago de Cuba) airports, as well as the Sierra Maestra terminals (Manzanillo, Granma) and Gustavo Rizo (Baracoa, Guantánamo), and, depending on the progress of the system, the Ignacio Agramonte (Camagüey).
If Melissa's current trajectory remains unchanged, intense rain, strong gusts of wind, and coastal flooding are expected in these areas, which could lead to temporary flight disruptions or precautionary closures.
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