Following a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warning issued Friday, numerous international airlines have suspended or rescheduled flights to and over Venezuela, disrupting air travel across south America and Europe. Teh FAA advisory cited a “possibly perilous situation” linked to increased U.S. military presence in the region, prompting concerns over airspace safety [[1]]. Venezuelan officials met with airline representatives Monday to address the cancellations and reassure passengers,while President Maduro vowed to enforce aviation laws amid the ongoing uncertainty.
Venezuelan authorities and airline representatives met Monday to address ongoing disruptions to air travel following a U.S. warning to exercise extreme caution when flying over the country. Several international carriers have canceled flights to Venezuela after the Federal Aviation Administration issued the advisory on Friday.
The Venezuelan Ministry of Transportation stated following the meeting that discussions focused on maintaining confidence and ensuring the safety of air operations for passengers. The move comes as airlines grapple with the implications of the FAA’s guidance, which cited a “potentially dangerous situation in the region.”
Attending the meeting were the presidents of Venezuelan airlines Laser Airlines and Estelar, Orlan Viloria and Boris Serrano, respectively, along with representatives from Latam Airlines, Gamal Kabchi, and TAP, Miguel Araujo, according to the Ministry.
Flight Cancellations Mount
Cancellations began Saturday and continued through Monday, impacting flights from airlines including Air Europa, Plus Ultra, Iberia (all based in Spain), TAP Portugal, Avianca (Colombia), Gol (Brazil), Latam (South America), and Turkish Airlines.
Both Estelar and Laser Airlines have suspended flights between Caracas and Madrid. Estelar’s suspension is in effect from November 24 through November 28, while Laser, a partner airline of Plus Ultra, has rescheduled a flight originally planned for Monday to Thursday.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s state-owned airline, Conviasa, released a statement on Instagram asserting that all of its domestic and international flights are operating normally.
On Monday, President Nicolás Maduro directed Transportation Minister Ramón Velásquez to enforce the law, though he provided no specific details or directly addressed the airline cancellations.
“Whoever messes with the light (commits an infraction) there are laws. Whoever understood, understood. Minister Velásquez, it’s with you. Minister of Transportation: whoever messes with the light, the law,” Maduro said during his program ‘Con Maduro+’, broadcast on state television Venezolana de Televisión (VTV).
The FAA’s advisory on Friday urged commercial flights to “exercise extreme caution” when flying over Venezuela and the southern Caribbean, citing a potentially dangerous situation coinciding with a significant U.S. military deployment in the area intended to pressure Maduro’s government.
