The Venezuelan Civil Aviation Authority (INAC) threatened to revoke the traffic rights of several international airlines within 48 hours if they do not resume their flights to the country.

The warning was issued this Monday, after some companies They suspended their services to the territory following alerts issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding the risks of flying over the airspace of the South American country. By Monday morning, half a dozen airlines had suspended their flights, including Colombia's Avianca, Brazil's Gol, Portugal's TAP Air Portugal, Spain's Iberia, as well as Latam Airlines and Turkish Airlines. The Venezuelan warning implies the withdrawal of traffic rights in Venezuela, which grants landing and takeoff positions at its airports, and comes precisely amidst the growing and massive US military deployment in the Caribbean and near the South American country. This deployment, which includes the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford (the largest in the world), has the official objective of combating drug trafficking, but has heightened tensions with the government of President Nicolas Maduro, who has denounced it as an attempt to aggression against it.

Given this situation, the FAA warned on Friday of a “potentially dangerous situation” in the airspace, which is controlled from Maiquetia International Airport, serving Caracas.

The US authority recommended that airlines exercise caution when operating in that airspace “due to the worsening security situation and increased military activity in or around Venezuela.”

“The threats could pose a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes, including during overflight, the arrival and departure phases of flights, and/or to airports and aircraft on the ground,” They stated in a press release.

“It will further reduce connectivity”

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents a large portion of the world's airlines, responded to the Venezuelan warning, stating that this will only “further reduce connectivity to the country,” which is already low compared to others in the region.

The organization called for continued dialogue between the authorities “so that they cooperate in a more aligned manner and provide greater clarity to airlines operating in the Maiquetia Flight Information Region (FIR).”

It also emphasized that the decision to suspend flights is temporary and was adopted “after rigorous risk analysis to guarantee the safety of passengers, crews, and aircraft, in accordance with international standards.”

“IATA member airlines remain committed to restoring operations to and from Venezuela as soon as conditions allow and reiterate their willingness to do so.”

“IATA member airlines remain committed to restoring operations to and from Venezuela as soon as conditions allow and reiterate their willingness to maintain open channels of communication with Venezuelan authorities,” the organization said in a statement, according to the EFE news agency.

Representatives of international airlines who met yesterday with the Venezuelan Ministry of Transportation expressed the same sentiment. According to local authorities, both parties stated their intention to collaborate to normalize the situation.

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