Flight Cancellations and Airport Panic Shake Guadalajara Region After Military Operation
An extended military operation against the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación that ended with the group’s leader, El Mencho, set off narcobloqueos and widespread disruption across Jalisco, prompting dozens of flight cancellations and sparking panic at terminals. The unfolding events have left the metropolitan area largely isolated by road and forced airlines and airport officials to issue travel advisories.
Aeropuerto Miguel Hidalgo in Guadalajara
The Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla international airport recorded the cancellation of at least 32 incoming flights that had been scheduled for 22 February, with origins across Mexico and the United States. Domestic cancellations listed were: 6 from Ciudad de México, 3 from Monterrey, 3 from Puerto Vallarta, 2 from Tijuana and one each from Villahermosa, La Paz, Cancún, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo and Acapulco. From the United States the cancelled arrivals included 4 from Los Ángeles, 2 from Fort Worth, 2 from Houston, 2 from San Francisco and one each from Phoenix, Miami, Chicago and Las Vegas.
Despite the cancellations logged on the airport’s official site, the Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) stated that the airport operates with normality and without affectations to its internal operations; the terminal remains under protection of the Guardia Nacional and the Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, with coordination maintained by the Gabinete de Seguridad. The agencies said there were no registered incidents inside the facilities and no current risk to passengers, collaborators or visitors.
Puerto Vallarta cancellations and diversions
The Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz international airport in Puerto Vallarta saw an even larger disruption, with at least 69 flights cancelled — mainly international — after midday on Sunday and two additional flights diverted. Domestic cancellations bound for Puerto Vallarta included 5 from Guadalajara, 5 from Monterrey, 5 from Ciudad de México, 2 from Tijuana and one each from Morelia, León, Querétaro and Ciudad Juárez.
U. S. departures cancelled were detailed as: 3 from Los Ángeles, 3 from Dallas, 3 from Phoenix, 3 from Houston, 3 from Seattle, 3 from San Diego and 2 from San Francisco; further cancellations listed Salt Lake City, Chicago, Atlanta, Portland, San José, Santa Ana, Birmingham and Nueva York. Canadian flights affected included 5 from Vancouver, 2 from Edmonton, 2 from Winnipeg and 2 from Toronto, with additional cancellations for Calgary, Quebec, Victoria, Regina, Kelowna and Comox.
Road closures, narcobloqueos and the central camionera
As the clashes unfolded, narcobloqueos and multiple road closures left the Guadalajara metropolitan area largely isolated by land, constraining movement to and from key transport hubs. The central camionera in Guadalajara halted some bus runs amid nearby shootings and closures around the terminal in Tlaquepaque, preventing the arrival of passengers. In Puerto Vallarta, burnings of vehicles and businesses along the federal 200 highway further restricted southern access to the municipality.
Passenger reactions, airline advisories and airport guidance
Videos that began circulating shortly after 11: 00 a. m. showed people running inside the Guadalajara terminal and hiding in waiting areas; GAP characterized those scenes as a psicosis that did not reflect the real security situation inside the terminal. Airlines including Viva Aerobus, Volaris and Aeroméxico posted notices on their social channels urging travelers to anticipate extra travel time because of road blockages in various parts of Mexico. The Guadalajara airport also advised users to leave earlier than usual for connections, warning of possible traffic alterations on the road to Chapala and encouraging passengers to allow additional time to reach the terminal.
Prison clash in Ixtapa and social media misinformation
Preliminary and unconfirmed accounts circulating in media outlets said armed men engaged custodians at the penal de Ixtapa and freed several inmates; those reports remain unverified by authorities. Some videos circulating show bodies outside the jail, but those images and the prison incident itself have been described as extraoficial. Social networks were flooded with false or unverified content, including an alleged threat from the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación, which officials say has amplified public fear.
What makes this notable is the simultaneous appearance of two conflicting operational pictures: airport systems logging dozens of cancelled international and domestic flights while airport management and security agencies maintain that terminals remain operational and secured. The cause—military confrontations with CJNG—clearly produced the effect of blocked roads and airline disruptions; the broader implication is that ground insecurity can rapidly cascade into international travel interruptions and heightened public alarm.
Multiple agencies continue to coordinate security at terminals, and travelers are advised to check with their airlines and allow extra time for transfers given the ongoing road restrictions and the volume of cancelled services.
