Caracas (EFE).- The 48-hour deadline granted by the Venezuelan government to resume operations in the South American country expired on Wednesday without the authorities having confirmed their decision to revoke the “permanent flight” permits or announced any other type of sanction.
Iberia, Air Europa, and Plus Ultra, as well as TAP, Avianca, Gol, LATAM, and Turkish Airlines, announced the suspension of their flights after the United States air authority issued an alert on Friday, urging “extreme caution” when flying over Venezuelan territory and the southern Caribbean Sea amid Washington’s military deployment in the region.
On Tuesday, Nicolás Maduro’s government warned the airlines that they had until 12:00 local time on Wednesday to resume operations; otherwise, their flight permits would be revoked.
Sources from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), based in Geneva and consulted by EFE, said they did not know when the Venezuelan authorities’ deadline expired or whether the authorities had contacted the airlines directly.
Spanish airlines consulted by EFE say that safety is their top priority and that they follow the recommendations of the Air Safety Agency (AESA), which advised against flying over the Latin American country and part of the Caribbean.
Iberia, Plus Ultra, and Air Europa flight cancellations have affected at least 6,000 passengers scheduled to travel between Madrid and Caracas during this time.
Venezuelan airlines Laser and Estelar, which fly to Madrid with Plus Ultra and Iberojet, respectively, also announced the suspension of their flights until Dec. 1, following AESA’s recommendation.
Following the US announcement, Enaire, the Spanish air navigation service provider, published at AESA’s request, that civil Spanish air operators are strongly recommended not to carry out any flights in the Maiquetía FIR airspace, which covers Venezuela and extends into the Caribbean Sea, until Dec. 1.
According to the text EFE had access to, this recommendation is due to the potential risk to civil aviation from increased military activity, anti-aircraft weapons capable of reaching all altitudes, and a lack of coordination between the parties to the conflict.
Airlines Copa, Wingo, Boliviana de Aviación, and Satena, as well as the local state-owned airlines Avior and Conviasa, maintain active operations.
EFE confirmed that flights from Colombia, Curaçao, and Panama are scheduled for Wednesday.
Meanwhile, flights from Madrid and Turkey are not published in the Flight Information System of Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport, which serves Caracas.EFE
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