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In response to warnings from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about a “potentially hazardous situation,” several international airlines have suspended their operations to and from Venezuela. The cancellations began on Saturday, indicating a significant concern over the safety of Venezuelan airspace.
TAP Air Portugal announced it would not be flying to Caracas on Saturday and Tuesday. The airline cited the information from the U.S. aviation authorities as the basis for their decision, stating, “This decision follows information issued by the United States aviation authorities, which indicates that safety conditions in Venezuelan airspace are not guaranteed.”
Iberia Airlines, based in Spain, has also joined the list of carriers halting their flights to Venezuela. The airline has put its operations on hold indefinitely, starting Monday, and has stated it will continuously evaluate the situation to determine when it might resume flights.
Joining the ranks of concerned airlines, South American carriers Gol, from Brazil, and Avianca, based in Colombia, have also canceled their scheduled flights to Caracas as of Saturday. This collective move by multiple airlines underscores the heightened level of caution being exercised in light of the FAA’s advisory.
South American airlines Gol out of Brazil and Colombia’s Avianca also canceled their Caracas flights Saturday.
Colombia’s Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement there were “potential risks” in continuing to fly to the Maiquetia area of Venezuela, near Caracas.
Caribbean Airlines and Chile’s Latam Airlines have also decided to stop flying to Venezuela for now after the warning, Bloomberg reported.
The FAA urged airlines to “exercise caution” in the region as tensions have escalated between the US and Venezuela and the US has increased its military presence in the region.
“Operators are advised to exercise caution when operating in the Maiquetia flight information region at all altitudes due to the worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela,” the FAA advisory said.
“Threats could pose a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes, including during overflight, the arrival and departure phases of flight and/or airports and aircraft on the ground,” it added. It asked airlines to provide at least 72-hour advance notice to the FAA if they plan to fly through the area.
Direct flights from US passenger and cargo carriers to Venezuela have been suspended since 2019, but some airlines still fly over the country on their South American routes, according to Reuters.
Delta and United both reiterated this week that they stopped flying routes over Venezuela months ago.
Reuters contributed to this report.