For the first time in more than six years, American Airlines will resume services between Florida and Venezuela.
The U.S. Department of Transportation said Wednesday, March 5, that American Airlines was approved to operate U.S. flights to Caracas and Maracaibo from Miami, Reuters reported. The carrier will operate the routes through its wholly owned regional carrier Envoy.
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration was in Caracas last week to review airport security procedures, sources told Reuters.
Here’s what to know.
Are US airlines blocked from flying to Venezuela?
They were, ever since 2019 when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, during President Donald Trump’s first term, suspended “all commercial passenger and cargo flights between the United States and Venezuela” due to “the ongoing political instability and increased tensions in Venezuela and associated inadvertent risk to flight operations,” according to a statement.
A State Department official at the time said it was a result of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s “inability to govern and perpetuation of lawlessness.”
In January, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy rescinded the order soon after the Trump administration captured Maduro. Trump in January asked USDOT to lift restrictions that currently bar U.S. flights after a discussion with the country’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez.
USDOT’s order is good for two years.
Can Americans fly to Venezuela?
Yes, now that the 2019 order has been rescinded.
However, the U.S. Department of State in December added Venezuela to its “Do Not Travel” list due to “the high risk of wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and poor health infrastructure.”
“Do not travel to Venezuela for any reason,” the alert said.
The State Department has not yet lifted that designation.
When will American Airlines flights to Venezuela from Florida resume?
American Airlines has not yet announced when flights will begin.
Did American Airlines fly to Venezuela before?
American Airlines has been operating in Venezuela since 1987 and was the largest U.S. airline there until 2019, the carrier said in its filing to resume service.
“Approval of this application will further President Trump’s goal of reopening air service to Venezuela and serve the public interest by providing an opportunity for business, leisure, and humanitarian travel to the region,” American said.
Reuters contributed to this story.
C. A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: American Airlines gets OK to resume Florida-Venezuela flights
Reporting by C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
