Airlines halt Venezuela flights after US warning of hazardous airspace

• Several major airlines canceled flights out of Venezuela following a U.S. FAA warning.
• Authorities cited deteriorating security conditions and increased military activity near Maiquetia.
• Some carriers suspended operations indefinitely, while a few continued flying.

Multiple international airlines suspended their operations out of Caracas on Saturday after the US Federal Aviation Administration issued an alert describing a “potentially hazardous situation” in Venezuelan airspace.

The advisory urged major carriers to exercise caution when flying over the country amid escalating security concerns.

Flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 and the official website for Simon Bolivar Maiquetia International Airport confirmed that Brazil’s Gol, Colombia’s Avianca, and TAP Air Portugal all halted their scheduled departures from the Venezuelan capital.

Colombia’s aviation authority, Aeronáutica Civil de Colombia, said in a statement that there were “potential risks” for aircraft operating in the Maiquetia region, citing “the deterioration of security conditions and increased military activity in the region.”

TAP Air Portugal said it canceled its services for Saturday and the upcoming Tuesday. “This decision follows information issued by the United States aviation authorities, which indicates that safety conditions in Venezuelan airspace are not guaranteed,” the airline told Reuters.

Spain’s Iberia announced a broader suspension, saying flights to Caracas will be canceled starting Monday “until further notice.” However, its Saturday service from the Venezuelan capital to Madrid departed as scheduled. “The company will assess the situation to decide when to resume flights to that country,” an Iberia spokesperson told Reuters.

Not all carriers halted operations. Copa Airlines and Wingo continued flying out of Maiquetia on Saturday despite the FAA advisory.

The FAA notice cited the “worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela,” adding that such conditions pose risks to aircraft “at all altitudes.”

The heightened alert comes as US military presence in the region has grown significantly in recent months, including the deployment of the US Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, multiple warships, and F-35 fighter jets.

Additionally, Latam Airlines’ scheduled flight to Bogotá on Sunday was canceled, according to Flightradar24.