American Airlines plans to resume flights to Venezuela for the first time in more than six years, pending government approval and security assessments. The move follows recent developments involving U.S. military action in the country, the airline said on Thursday (29 January).
The flight company had suspended its service to Venezuela in 2019 after the United States barred flights. The carrier said planned daily flights would support business, leisure and humanitarian travel. It began operating in Venezuela in 1987 and was once the largest U.S. airline in the country.
United Airlines declined to say whether it would resume flights, while Delta Air Lines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Late Thursday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy rescinded a 2019 order that barred U.S. airlines from flying to Venezuela, after U.S. President Donald Trump directed him to make the move.
In his directive, Duffy said "the continued suspension of air service is no longer required by the public interest."
Trump's request came after a discussion with the country's acting President Delcy Rodríguez.
"American citizens will be very shortly able to go to Venezuela, and they'll be safe there," Trump said.
Flights are unlikely to resume for several weeks or months, as the FAA must conduct safety assessments and the Transportation Security Administration is expected to carry out security reviews.
“We look forward to facilitating the return of regular travel between the U.S. and Venezuela,” the FAA said on Thursday (29 January).
The Transportation Department must also formally rescind a separate 2019 order issued in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security and approved by the Secretary of State.
The State Department had added Venezuela to its “Do Not Travel” list in December.
The FAA warned airlines on 16 January to exercise caution when flying over Mexico, Central America and parts of South America due to risks linked to potential military activity and GPS interference.
On Thursday, the FAA lifted those caution notices for Mexico, Central America, Ecuador, Colombia and parts of eastern Pacific airspace, saying they were no longer necessary.
Last month, a JetBlue aircraft bound for New York took evasive action to avoid a mid-air collision with a U.S. Air Force tanker near Venezuela that did not have its transponder activated.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be...
A British inquiry has heard fresh allegations that UK special forces killed three Afghan farmers and abused detainees during operations in Afghanistan...
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have begun installing the first border markers along their shared frontier, marking the start of the physical demarcation of...
Türkiye delivered 30 tonnes of humanitarian aid to earthquake-hit Venezuela on Monday, reaffirming its commitment to supporting the country's reconstruction after last month's devastating earthquakes.
Disease outbreaks, poor sanitation and limited access to clean water could pose major health risks to tens of thousands of survivors of Venezuela’s deadly earthquakes, the Americas branch of the World Health Organization said on Thursday.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 10th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes has risen to 3,811, according to figures released by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez on Wednesday.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The United States and Iran have significantly escalated their conflict, exchanging heavy missile and drone strikes across the Gulf region. Iran claims it has once again closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
IBM has warned that a surge in spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure is weighing on its core business, in one of the clearest signs yet of how the AI boom is reshaping the technology sector.
The European Union's General Court has dismissed Ryanair's appeals against an Italian state aid scheme approved by the European Commission in 2020 to support airlines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Japan’s tourism boom is adding pressure on local authorities to expand accommodation taxes as cities and prefectures seek to manage rising visitor numbers and fund services amid record international arrivals.
Tourism operators in eastern Latvia say repeated incursions by stray military drones linked to the war in Ukraine are driving visitors away from one of the country's most popular summer destinations, threatening hundreds of small businesses that rely on seasonal trade.
TUI has reported sustained demand for holidays despite the Iran war, as the world’s biggest travel company posted lower-than-expected quarterly losses and said bookings for the second half of the year remained strong.
Travellers worried about costs and flights by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East are changing their summer holiday plans, with lastminute bookings, safer destinations such as Spain, and rail travel all growing in popularity.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment