A number of international carriers canceled flights to and from Venezuela Saturday after a warning from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of a “potentially hazardous situation” in the region.
TAP Air Portugal said it had canceled its flights through Caracas for Saturday and Tuesday, telling Reuters, “This decision follows information issued by the United States aviation authorities, which indicates that safety conditions in Venezuelan airspace are not guaranteed.”
Iberia Airlines of Spain said it was canceling its flights to Venezuela indefinitely starting Monday.
“The company will assess the situation to decide when to resume flights to that country,” the airline told Reuters.
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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 U.S. and Venezuela and the U.S. 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 U.S. 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.
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