Travelers between Spain and Venezuela are expected to find out on Monday, December 1 whether communications between the two countries will resume. This day, IberiaAir Europe and Plus Ultra must decide whether to operate their routes with Caracas again, more than a week away. Cancellations and diplomatic tensions Which led to thousands of passengers being stranded. However, not everything depends on the airlines, because Venezuela’s veto over Iberia and other international companies further complicates the restoration of connectivity and normal operations.
To date, it is estimated that some 6000 people The airline, which was planning to travel between Madrid and Caracas, was affected by a wave of cancellations in recent days. Plus Ultra, which operates three flights a week, reported that about 2,400 passengers were affected by the suspension of flights. Iberia, which operates five flights a week, estimates that the number could reach 3,000 flights. Air Europa, which also has five weekly flights, did not provide a specific figure, although it indicated one Evie Which offered travelers different alternatives.
Beyond our borders, the landscape is also worrying. US President Donald Trump said last Saturday that Venezuelan airspace should be considered “Completely closed”. Through his account on the “Truth” social network, he addressed “all airlines, pilots, drug traffickers, and human traffickers,” asking them to “take into account that the airspace over Venezuela and its surroundings will remain completely closed.” However, the Venezuelan regime intends to diversify its international communications and increase flights with other countries, such as Russia.
The international air crisis with the Latin American country began when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States published a notice urging “Be careful” When flying over Venezuela and the southern Caribbean. According to the American authority, the situation in the region is “potentially dangerous” for aircraft at all altitudes, due to increasing military activity and deteriorating security situation. The alert coincided with the entry of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford into Caribbean waters, leading to increased tension in the region.
After only one day’s notice, Iberia was the first to announce the suspension of its five weekly flights between Madrid and Caracas, a decision also adopted by the Portuguese TAP, the Brazilian Gol and the Colombian Avianca. This measure has been justified before Security reasons and a recommendation from the Spanish state Aviation Safety Agency (AESA), which also advised against operating in the area.
After suspending flights, on November 24, the Venezuelan government gave a decision 48 hours alarm airlines to resume operations, and warned them that they would cancel the permits of companies that did not resume their flights. On the same day, Air Europe and Plus Ultra postponed their flights scheduled for the following day, while Iberia decided to maintain the suspension until at least December 1.
When the deadline imposed by Caracas passed, Venezuela complied with the threat and announced the cancellation of the privileges granted to several airlines, including Iberia. The decision was justified by the Venezuelan executive as a response “Added to terrorist acts” Promoted by the United States, by unilaterally suspending flights to and from the country. The move reduced contact with Venezuela, leaving Spanish and other international operators with few options to return or depart from Caracas.
The country’s Interior Minister, Diosdado Cabello, defended and emphasized sovereign control over the airspace Venezuela “decides who travels and who does not”. During a television intervention, Cabello said that Caracas “preserves its dignity” in the face of the position of international airlines. For her part, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez criticized the American military presence in the region, and pointed out that “the way is not to threaten Venezuela militarily.”
But, despite the veto, Iberia maintained its intention to resume operations as soon as the war ended Necessary safety conditions For passengers and crew. According to the company, its priority is to ensure the protection of travelers and its employees, as well as respecting the recommendations of the AESA, which remains cautious until Monday, December 1. The company explained that protecting passengers is its top priority.
The Spanish government, for its part, interprets the cancellation of flights as an alleged sign of this Compatibility with WashingtonWhich increased tension in the Caribbean region through a military deployment near the Venezuelan coast.
It generated this whole situation Concern in the tourism sector And among logistics operators, because a prolonged suspension of flights could affect the flow of passengers and the economy associated with air transport and tourism. In Spain, uncertainty about the reopening of routes to Caracas keeps travel agents, transport companies and users in a state of suspense, waiting for airlines to announce their decision.
*With information from EFE