Air TransportAt least six carriers suspend Venezuela flights after FAA security alert
Several airlines, including TAP, LATAM, Avianca, Iberia, GOL, and Turkish Airlines, suspended flights to Venezuela on November 24 following a security alert issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The FAA cited increased military activity and unspecified potential threats to aircraft at all altitudes, prompting carriers to halt operations indefinitely.
The alert is interpreted as a sign of more serious attacks, perhaps on Venezuelan territory.
“Six transporters suspended flights indefinitely: TAP, LATAM, Avianca, Iberia, Gol, and Caribbean,” said Marisela de Loaiza, president of the Association of Airlines of Venezuela.
Regional leaders expressed concern over the connectivity impact, with Colombian President Gustavo Petro stating, “There must be regular flights to all Latin American countries and the world.”
The US government has intensified pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faces narcoterrorism charges in the United States, and deployed the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier with accompanying destroyers to the Caribbean.
Since September, over 80 individuals have died during enforcement actions targeting small vessels suspected of drug trafficking to the US, further complicating the security landscape.
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