Venezuela Has Slammed The Door On Six International Airlines In Escalating Tensions With The US
In a move that has sparked international concern, the South American nation of Venezuela has revoked the operational permits of six major airlines. Spain's Iberia, Portugal's Tap, Colombia's Avianca, Chile's Latam, Brazil's Gol and Turkish Airlines are among those targeted by the Venezuelan authorities.
The decision comes in response to a recent warning from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which advised airlines of a "potentially hazardous situation" when flying over Venezuela due to heightened security concerns. However, Venezuela has disputed the FAA's jurisdiction over its airspace.
In a statement, Venezuela's civil aviation authority claimed that the six airlines had joined in promoting "state terrorism" promoted by the US government and unilaterally suspended air commercial operations as a result. The country's president, NicolΓ‘s Maduro, has denied allegations of supplying illegal drugs to Americans, calling them "baseless" and accusing former President Donald Trump of seeking to overthrow him.
The move has been met with criticism from European countries, including Portugal, which has expressed concerns over the "totally disproportionate" decision by Venezuela. Despite this, several airlines have suspended flights to Venezuela in recent days, citing security concerns as their reason for doing so.
In a rare display of cooperation, however, some international airlines such as Copa and its low-cost Wingo unit continue to operate in the country, with domestic airlines also flying to neighboring countries. The International Air Transport Association had previously given airlines a 48-hour deadline to resume flights or risk losing their rights to fly to Venezuela.
As tensions between Venezuela and the US continue to escalate, it remains to be seen how this latest development will impact air travel to and from the country.
In a move that has sparked international concern, the South American nation of Venezuela has revoked the operational permits of six major airlines. Spain's Iberia, Portugal's Tap, Colombia's Avianca, Chile's Latam, Brazil's Gol and Turkish Airlines are among those targeted by the Venezuelan authorities.
The decision comes in response to a recent warning from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which advised airlines of a "potentially hazardous situation" when flying over Venezuela due to heightened security concerns. However, Venezuela has disputed the FAA's jurisdiction over its airspace.
In a statement, Venezuela's civil aviation authority claimed that the six airlines had joined in promoting "state terrorism" promoted by the US government and unilaterally suspended air commercial operations as a result. The country's president, NicolΓ‘s Maduro, has denied allegations of supplying illegal drugs to Americans, calling them "baseless" and accusing former President Donald Trump of seeking to overthrow him.
The move has been met with criticism from European countries, including Portugal, which has expressed concerns over the "totally disproportionate" decision by Venezuela. Despite this, several airlines have suspended flights to Venezuela in recent days, citing security concerns as their reason for doing so.
In a rare display of cooperation, however, some international airlines such as Copa and its low-cost Wingo unit continue to operate in the country, with domestic airlines also flying to neighboring countries. The International Air Transport Association had previously given airlines a 48-hour deadline to resume flights or risk losing their rights to fly to Venezuela.
As tensions between Venezuela and the US continue to escalate, it remains to be seen how this latest development will impact air travel to and from the country.