(SINT MAARTEN) Winair suspended at least twelve flights across Sint Maarten, Saint Barthélemy, and Sint Eustatius on August 23–24, 2025, after Category 5 Hurricane Erin forced airports and airlines to halt service for safety. The regional carrier had already cancelled all flights on Saturday, August 16, 2025, and made further cancellations and retimings on Sunday, August 17, 2025, affecting routes to and from Saba, St. Eustatius, and other nearby islands.
As of August 23, operations remain disrupted, with airlines and airports saying schedules will restart only when weather conditions and infrastructure checks allow safe flying.
Regional cancellations and coordination
The storm’s approach led multiple carriers to call off flights. Alongside Winair, St Barth Commuter, and United States carriers Delta, JetBlue, and Southwest also cancelled services tied to the region.
Airport authorities at Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) coordinated with airlines to suspend movements, noting that reopening times would depend on storm impact and safety inspections. No regional government has announced emergency travel waivers or special measures as of August 23, 2025, though officials continue to track Hurricane Erin’s path.
Key point: Safety-first decisions mean flights restart only after wind, visibility, runway checks, and staffing meet operational standards.
Flight suspensions and current status
Winair’s management has not issued a new statement from its CEO or senior leaders in the past week. However, the airline’s website and press updates confirm the cancellations, advise travelers to check flight status often, and state rebooking and refunds will be handled under the airline’s posted policies.
SXM and other regional airports worked with carriers to shut down operations ahead of the worst weather bands, then began damage and debris checks to plan phased reopenings. That process typically includes:
- Runway inspections for surface damage and debris.
- Power and communications checks to ensure systems are operational.
- Coordination with air traffic control to schedule safe re-entry for aircraft and crews.
For small islands connected by short-hop flights, even a short closure creates ripple effects. Planes and crew schedules shift; one cancelled morning flight can disrupt an entire day’s rotations.
Winair’s route map makes it a lifeline carrier for inter-island travel. The airline links the Dutch Caribbean and nearby territories with high-frequency, short sectors that often carry workers, families, students, and patients traveling for medical care. When those links go down, the impact is immediate—especially during peak hurricane season, when backup options are scarce and sea conditions may also be rough or closed to small craft.
Impact on travelers and local economies
Hundreds of travelers were left stranded or forced to change plans, with very few alternatives while the storm system moved through. Those affected faced several challenges:
- Limited seating on the first available flights out.
- Need to reroute through larger hubs once they reopen.
- Last-minute hotel extensions or cancellations.
- Delayed cargo—including fresh goods, repair parts, and mail—that rely on frequent regional runs.
Cargo slowdowns carry a wider knock-on effect:
- Supermarkets that depend on steady, small-lot deliveries can run low on certain items.
- Service businesses may be stuck waiting for parts, delaying repairs.
- Tourism operators may face added costs and friction that hurt visitor experience.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, smaller regional airlines like Winair face special pressure during major storms: fleets are lean, spare aircraft are limited, and alternatives (road or ferry) may be unavailable when an island airport closes. These realities make recovery slower than in larger mainland markets, where airlines can bring in extra planes and crews on short notice.
Community leaders have renewed calls for stronger disaster plans for essential air links, including:
- Clearer communication systems.
- Faster airport checks after storms pass.
- Better coordination for cargo and medical flights once flying is safe again.
Aviation analysts emphasize these measures are crucial each year during the June–November Atlantic hurricane season.
What passengers can do now
While Winair and airport teams reset operations, travelers can take practical steps to reduce stress and protect bookings:
- Check Winair’s official site for active advisories, schedules, and instructions on rebooking or refunds: https://www.winair.sx
- Review the airline’s press page for day-by-day notices on cancellations and retimings: https://www.winair.sx/press
- Track airport status at Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) for closure or curfew notices: https://www.sxmairport.com
- Keep travel documents in one place: booking confirmations, cancellation emails, and screenshots of flight-status pages.
- Contact travel insurance providers to confirm coverage for weather delays and required documentation.
- Monitor official hurricane guidance from the U.S. National Hurricane Center: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ — the agency’s updates can help judge when conditions may improve.
People worried about immigration status should note that no special waivers or government travel exceptions have been announced as of August 23, 2025. Visitors stuck beyond their planned return due to suspended flights should:
- Keep detailed proof of cancellations.
- Maintain contact with their airline.
- Be prepared to show documentation for employers, schools, insurers, or immigration officials.
Outlook and recovery
Winair expects to resume flights as soon as weather and infrastructure allow. Even then, passengers should expect:
- A backlog of stranded travelers to be processed over several days.
- Limited seat availability and rolling delays.
- Possible equipment swaps as airlines restore normal rotations.
Regional aviation officials are expected to review emergency response steps after Hurricane Erin, focusing on:
- How carriers and airports coordinate closures and reopenings.
- Ways to keep cargo moving to support communities.
- Long-term resilience measures such as hardening infrastructure, improving drainage and power backups at airports, and refining communications so passengers receive faster, clearer notices when plans change.
Summary of key facts
- Storm: Category 5 Hurricane Erin
- Impact: Forced dozens of cancellations across the northeastern Caribbean
- Winair actions: Halted flights on August 16, made further changes on August 17, and suspended at least twelve flights on August 23–24 connecting Sint Maarten, Saint Barthélemy, and Sint Eustatius
- Current status (as of August 23): Airports and airlines prioritized safety and are conducting inspections; no special government travel measures announced
As skies clear, crews will work to reconnect the islands and move people—and goods—where they need to go.
This Article in a Nutshell
Category 5 Hurricane Erin forced Winair and other carriers to suspend dozens of flights in late August 2025, stranding hundreds and disrupting cargo. Airports like SXM closed for safety inspections; resumption awaits runway and systems checks. Recovery will be gradual due to limited regional resources, prompting calls for stronger contingency planning.
