International airlines are scrambling to cancel flights to Venezuela following a stark security warning from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) concerning the country's airspace.
Major Carriers Halt Services Indefinitely
The situation escalated on Sunday as carriers across the globe responded to the FAA's alert. Marisela de Loaiza, president of the Airlines Association in Venezuela, confirmed to The Associated Press that six major airlines have suspended flights indefinitely. The affected carriers are TAP, LATAM, Avianca, Iberia, Gol, and Caribbean.
Adding to the disruption, Turkish Airlines has announced a temporary suspension of its services from November 24 to 28.
US Warns of Risks at All Altitudes
The mass cancellations were triggered by an FAA directive issued on Friday. The administration cautioned pilots that unspecified threats within Venezuelan airspace "could pose a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes".
This warning extends to the critical phases of flight, including take-off and landing, and even to planes parked on the ground, indicating a severe and comprehensive level of risk.
Geopolitical Tensions and Military Buildup
The aviation security alert comes amidst a significant escalation of pressure from the Trump administration on the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The US does not recognise Maduro, who faces US charges of narcoterrorism, as the country's legitimate leader.
In a show of force, the US military has conducted bomber flights near the Venezuelan coast, with some exercises simulating attack scenarios. The region has also seen the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and several destroyers, forming the largest US military presence in the Caribbean Sea near Venezuela in generations.
Concurrently, the Trump administration has carried out a campaign of strikes on boats it accuses of drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in over 80 fatalities since the operations began in early September.
Regional Reaction and Human Impact
The flight suspensions have drawn concern from regional leaders. Colombian President Gustavo Petro took to social media platform X on Sunday to voice his opposition to the effective air blockade.
He stated that "there must be regular flights to all Latin American countries" and argued that "blocking countries means blocking people, and that is a crime against humanity".
The collective action by international airlines represents a major disruption to air travel connectivity for Venezuela, isolating the nation further and creating significant challenges for travellers and commerce.
