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A few international carriers canceled flights to and from Venezuela on Saturday after a warning from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about a “potentially dangerous situation” in the region.
TAP Air Portugal said it had canceled its flights via Caracas for Saturday and Tuesday, telling Reuters: “This decision follows information from US aviation authorities indicating that safety conditions in Venezuelan airspace are not guaranteed.”
Spain’s Iberia Airlines said it is canceling its flights to Venezuela indefinitely from Monday.
“The company will assess the situation to decide when to resume flights to that country,” the airline said Reuters.
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Travelers at Simón Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Vargas State, Venezuela. (Gaby Oraa/Bloomberg via Getty Images, File/Getty Images)
South American Airlines Gol from Brazil and Colombia’s Avianca also canceled their flights to Caracas on Saturday.
Colombia’s Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement that “potential risks“by continuing to fly to the Maiquetia area of Venezuela, near Caracas.
After the warning, Caribbean Airlines and the Chilean Latam Airlines have also decided not to fly to Venezuela for the time being, Bloomberg reports.
Spain’s Iberia Airlines said it is canceling its flights to Venezuela indefinitely from Monday. (Reuters/Isabel Infantes/File/Reuters)
The FAA urged airlines to “exercise caution” in the region as tensions between the US and Venezuela have escalated and the US has increased its military presence in the region.
“Operators are advised to exercise caution when operating in the Maiquetia Flight Information Area at all altitudes due to the deteriorating security situation and increased military activity in or around Venezuela,” the spokesperson said. FAA advisory said.
“Threats may pose a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes, including during overflights, the arrival and departure phases of flights and/or airports and aircraft on the ground,” it added. It asked airlines to notify the FAA at least 72 hours in advance if they plan to fly through the area.
A TAP Air Portugal plane takes off. (Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters, file)
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Direct flights by U.S. passenger and cargo carriers to Venezuela have been suspended since 2019, but some airlines are still flying 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.
