Two Spanish airlines, Air Europa and Plus Ultra, have been added to the list of companies stopping flying to Venezuela following the high safety risk warning issued by the US Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FAA) on Friday. Among those who have suspended flights to Caracas is Iberia since last Saturday due to the indication to “exercise caution” in a context of increasing US military deployment in the southern part of the Caribbean Sea.
The two companies have canceled operations scheduled for this Tuesday in Venezuela. Air Europa, which offers five weekly frequencies between Spain and the Latin American country, will constantly monitor the situation and will recover its offer between Madrid and Caracas “when the right conditions are right”, a company spokesperson explained to Efe. Plus Ultra, for its part, operates three weekly flights to the Venezuelan capital and its decision is to cancel Tuesday’s operation and study a decision that will influence the next few days.
The grounding of the planes, carried out by Iberia, Air Europa and Plus Ultra, leaves Madrid-Barajas without flights to Venezuela. This morning a Plus Ultra plane and another from the Globalia company landed at Madrid airport.
In addition to these three Spanish operators, the Portuguese TAP, the Brazilian Gol, the Chilean Latam, the Turkish Turkish Airlines or the Trinidad Caribbean are already avoiding flying over Venezuela. Venezuela’s state-owned Conviasa is carrying out its domestic and international programming and says it is doing so as normal.
Spanish air traffic controller Enaire has issued a recommendation to Spanish airlines to avoid transiting the Maiquetia Fir airspace, which covers the skies of Venezuela and the southern Caribbean. Public opinion warns of the potential risk due to increased military activity and the deployment of anti-aircraft weapons.
