In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has urged major airlines to avoid flying over Venezuela due to a ‘potentially hazardous situation’. Carriers have been warned to exercise caution, following a worsening security situation. As noted by Reuters, the FAA has stressed that these threats could pose risks for any aircraft at any altitude.

Recent weeks have seen a buildup of American military in the region, which has included the deployment of nine warships, F-35 aircraft, and the U.S. Navy’s largest aircraft carrier and the world’s largest warship. The USS Gerald R. Ford operates as a mobile airbase and is a ship that extends more than 1,106 feet (337 m), with 25 decks, and a flight deck width of 256 ft (78 m).

Some Carriers Fly To And From The US Over Venezuela

While direct flights between the United States and Venezuela have been suspended since before the pandemic (2019), there are a number of airlines that continue to fly to and from the US to other South American countries, with their flight paths passing over Venezuelan airspace. American Airlines, one of the US’s biggest airlines, noted that it had recently stopped directing flights over the South American country out of an abundance of caution. Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines has also taken steps to stop directing flights over Venezuela, while United Airlines has yet to comment.

Should U.S. airlines be planning to operate flights over the region, the order requests airlines to provide the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with 72 hours’ notice should their flightpath be directly over Venezuela. Notably, the FAA has not prohibited flights over the country.

Since September, the FAA has explained that there has been an increased interference with the Global Navigation Satellite System in Venezuela, which has caused ongoing effects to flights operating in the region. This is concerning and has been associated with Venezuela’s increasing military readiness.

No Plans To Target Civil Aviation

At this point, the Venezuelan military has not expressed any plans to target civil aviation; however, the country’s military has been conducting military exercises and directed the mass mobilization of thousands of military and reserve forces. The country’s military has advanced fighter aircraft and weapons systems that have the range to reach civil aircraft that operate at any altitude over the country. The FAA plans to continually monitor the risk for airlines’ operating across the region.

Many airlines have cancelled their scheduled flights to Venezuela following the FAA warning, which has included Brazilian carrier Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes (GOL), Avianca, and TAP Air Portugal. The airlines have stressed this move was due to potential risks in the region and the deterioration of security conditions. Iberia will also cancel its upcoming direct flight from Madrid to Caracas on Monday, and plans to postpone its operations to the region until further notice.

Currently, Copa Airlines and Wingo are planning to continue operating to Caracas; however, LATAM Airlines flights from Bogota have been cancelled on Sunday.

As already mentioned, there are no direct flights to and from the United States to Venezuela; however, travelers needing to travel to Caracas can do so via international flights in and out of Maiquetía « Simón Bolívar » International Airport (CCS) in Caracas. Options for indirect flights from the US include transits via Bogota (Avianca), Port of Spain ( Caribbean Airlines), and Panama City (Copa Airlines) – please note that this list is not exhaustive.

The country’s flag carrier, Conviasa (officially Línea Aérea Conviasa S.A.), operates several domestic and international destinations across the Caribbean, South America, and beyond. What makes this airline most notable is that it launches routes from a political perspective, rather than for financial benefit. This has been witnessed with the carrier’s unique Airbus A340-200 and -600 services, with multiple airplanes leased from Mahan Air (Iran). It operates scheduled services from Caracas to the likes of Tehran, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Guangzhou.

According to data from ch-aviation, the airline currently operates a fleet of two Airbus A340-200, two A340-600, one ATR42, and five Embraer E190 airplanes. Passenger feedback noted by AirlineRatings, from those who have travelled with the airline, has been mixed, noting that some aircraft are well maintained, while others are lackluster, and meals are not always complimentary, or you experience disengaged cabin crew.