Weather Woes: Strong Winds Divert Flights to St. Croix, Affecting Caribbean Air Travel

Strong winds sweeping across the Caribbean last Thursday prompted an unusual air traffic scenario, with several flights being rerouted, leading to an unexpected gathering of aircraft at St. Croix’s Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (HERA). This situation saw multiple American Airlines flights, initially bound for various Caribbean destinations, making an unscheduled touchdown on St. Croix soil.

Carlton Dowe, the Executive Director of the Virgin Islands Port Authority, reported that the rerouting was necessitated by the challenging weather conditions. Additionally, the wind disturbances caused some flights destined for St. Thomas to be diverted to Puerto Rico, further highlighting the day’s logistical complexities. Amid these changes, American Airlines and Spirit flights in St. Thomas faced delays, awaiting the green light for takeoff.

The wind’s force was so formidable that one aircraft, attempting to land in St. Thomas, had to redirect to Puerto Rico, while another chose to return to Miami. An American Airlines service was also canceled, emphasizing the significant disruptions travelers and airlines faced. “St. Croix became a haven for diversions intended for other Caribbean islands,” Dowe remarked, acknowledging HERA’s pivotal role in managing the day’s extraordinary circumstances.

Despite the upheaval, the day saw successful departures from St. Thomas, including a Delta and a Spirit flight. Dowe described the situation as “quite chaotic,” yet underscored that ensuring safety was the paramount concern for the Virgin Islands Port Authority throughout the ordeal.

By Friday evening, HERA hosted four American Airlines and one Spirit Airlines plane, a tangible testament to the preceding day’s disruptions. This event follows closely on the heels of a similar incident the previous Sunday, when American Airlines canceled a flight from St. Croix to Miami due to bad weather, highlighting the ongoing challenges that severe weather poses to regional air travel and the imperative of prioritizing safety above all.