SAN ANTONIO – Travelers face mounting disruptions as unrest in Mexico and a powerful winter storm on the East Coast converge to upend plans for thousands of passengers — including those flying through San Antonio International Airport.
Recent violence and unrest in several Mexican states have led airlines to cancel flights to destinations across the country.
Mexican travel has been under renewed scrutiny amid recent security concerns, reflected in updated State Department advisories, following the killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes on Sunday, the Associated Press reported.
A State Department map shows much of Mexico under varying warning levels: yellow for Level 2, urging travelers to exercise increased caution; orange for Level 3, recommending that people reconsider travel; and red for Level 4, a strict “do not travel” warning.
Those advisories have many South Texans watching closely, as Mexico remains a popular destination from San Antonio and other nearby cities.
Despite the unrest and a winter storm affecting the northeast, flight disruptions have stayed relatively minimal into Monday morning.
However, nationwide, there are already nearly 11,000 delays and 6,000 cancellations, according to the flight-tracking site FlightAware.
In San Antonio, four departing and two arriving flights have been canceled. Most of the flights are to East Coast airports, such as Boston and Newark. Mexico-based airlines out of San Antonio, such as Viva, Volaris and Aeromexico, remain on time.
The State Department offers the free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), with key benefits such as safety alerts and informed planning services.
Applying should take about 20 minutes and can help the US embassy reach you or an emergency contact if any issues arise while you’re traveling abroad. For more information, click here.