This weekend’s airspace panic — which left holiday travelers stranded in the Caribbean after the US’ capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro — highlighted the fissure between the haves and the have-yachts.
In the wake of Maduro’s extradition from Caracas early Saturday morning, the skies over islands including St. Barth’s, Aruba, Curacao, Puerto Rico and St. Maarten were closed to jets both private and commercial.
The move created a massive backlog of fliers during what is usually the busiest time in posh St. Barth’s.
“I’m in hell,” one Pucci-clad woman was overheard moaning at Shell Beach, a source reports.
By Sunday evening, the divide between those who own and those who merely charter private planes was on full display.
Billionaires with full-time crews and their own jets were able to leave from nearby St. Maarten as soon as the no-fly zone was lifted, since the planes and pilots were already on hand. (Since St. Barth’s runway is too small for standard jets, travelers typically land in St. Maarten and take a puddle jumper or boat over.)
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But those who rely on chartered planes — or have a share in a private jet company like Net Jets — have found it almost impossible to flee because St. Maarten has been refusing to accept inbound traffic, making it impossible for charters to land.
One jet broker told me he advised clients that the earliest they can expect to get a charter will be Tuesday — and he’s even encouraged some clients to book commercial flights.
Amid so much chaos, priority has reportedly been given to commercial aircrafts with larger passenger loads
Still, people are still so eager to get back home that they’re paying exorbitant amounts for charters. One flier told me he paid $75,000 to get from St. Maarten to Puerto Rico — an hour-long flight usually sells for just $10,000 — where he will fly commercial flight back to New York
Photos and videos of Maduro’s voyage added salt in the wound for some.
“A narco-terrorist is taking a taxpayer-funded helicopter to prison but I can’t get a charter I paid six figures for to pick me up,” one vacationer groused to me.
Meanwhile, people with mega yachts anchored in the harbor were completely immune from the challenges.
And not everyone was mad about the delay. “There are worse places to be stranded… I don’t mind having an excuse to extend my vacation a few days,” another source, who can work remotely, added.
