KINGSTON, Jamaica, May 22, CMC – The Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) Friday said that temporary restrictions may be placed on parts of country’s airspace saying that these restrictions are as a result of SpaceX Starship Flight 12 operations from Starbase, Texas, which could affect aircraft flying through the Caribbean region.
“Commercial space launch activity has increased significantly in recent years and occasionally requires the temporary implementation of protective and precautionary measures within the national and regional airspace to ensure continued safety,” the JCAA said in a statement.
“These restrictions are designed to mitigate potential risks associated with the launch ascent operations, possible debris and other related flight safety hazards.”
The JCAA said that the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Organization Space Operations unit has advised that the main operational window affecting the Kingston Flight Information Region is scheduled for Friday from 5:30 pm to 7:43 pm (local time), if the launch proceeds.
“However, once it is an uneventful launch, the airspace will be available within 10-15 minutes,” the JCAA said, noting that if the restrictions are put in place it would result for example in the temporary rerouting of aircraft or possible departure delays.
“As a precautionary measure, Jamaica may also temporarily suspend certain departures, pending confirmation of the launch status and airspace availability”.
CMCC/fj/ir/2026