Venezuela announced the reopening of its airspace to receive flights from several countries. The measure was announced by the National Institute of Civil Aeronautics (INAC), the authority responsible for civil aviation in the country.
Commercial flights had been suspended in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The following nations were authorized to operate regular frequencies to Venezuela: Brazil, Turkey, Russia, Mexico, Bolivia, Panama, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Spain, Portugal, Iran and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Despite the release, it is unlikely that most major airlines will fly to the South American country again. That’s because in 2016 the government of Nicolás Maduro withheld about $4 billion in securities belonging to foreign airlines.
The decision ended up motivating the suspension of several routes to the capital Caracas, among them those operated by Alitalia, Air Canada and Gol, among others.
The reopening, however, should allow state-owned Conviasa and private carrier Avior to resume flights abroad.
Currently, Conviasa already operates flights to destinations such as Havana, Santiago de Chile, Buenos Aires, Madrid and Moscow, while TAP flies from Lisbon to Caracas three times a week.
