CARACAS, Jan 3, 2026, 10:00 ET
- Caribbean Airlines cancelled two scheduled Port of Spain–Caracas services on Saturday.
- The FAA issued an emergency aviation notice restricting U.S. operators in Venezuelan airspace.
- Flight trackers showed Venezuela’s airspace empty early Saturday as carriers assessed risk.
Caribbean Airlines cancelled flights BW300 and BW301 between Caracas and Port of Spain on Saturday as airlines assessed operations into Venezuela after overnight U.S. strikes, according to FlightStats. President Donald Trump said U.S. forces had captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and flown him out of the country; Venezuela rejected what it called U.S. military aggression and declared a national emergency. Reuters
The disruption matters because Venezuela has limited commercial air links, leaving passengers with few alternatives when a single route is pulled. Caracas’ Simón Bolívar International Airport is the country’s primary gateway for regional connections.
Airlines also treat sudden military escalation as a red flag for civil aviation safety, especially where air defenses and military aircraft operate close to civilian corridors. When that risk rises, carriers often cancel first and ask questions later.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM), a safety notice for pilots, barring U.S. commercial flights from operating in Venezuelan airspace and citing ongoing military activity, the Associated Press reported.
The FAA has also maintained a standing advisory urging caution in the Maiquetía flight information region (FIR), the air-traffic control zone that includes Caracas. FIRs define the area where air traffic controllers provide flight information and alerting services.
Flight radar trackers showed the airspace over Venezuela was empty on Saturday morning, a sign carriers were steering clear after the strikes and subsequent warnings. Reuters
Not all services were immediately scrubbed. Avianca’s flight AV142 from Bogota to Caracas remained listed as scheduled and on time in FlightStats’ system in the latest update, though positional tracking had not yet begun.
The patchy schedule underscores the uncertainty for passengers at Venezuelan airports, where flight status can change quickly as airlines review crew safety, insurance terms and regulatory guidance. Even short disruptions can cascade in markets with few daily frequencies.
U.S. airlines have not flown scheduled passenger routes to Venezuela in recent years, but regulators have repeatedly warned carriers about risks linked to heightened military activity in and around the country. In November, the FAA cautioned major airlines about the deteriorating security environment when flying over Venezuela.
Aviation risk analysts had warned that restrictions could tighten rapidly. “A closure could come with little or no notice,” said Isobel Kerr, an analysis output manager at aviation intelligence specialist Osprey Flight Solutions, in a late November briefing. Corporate Jet Investor
The biggest unknown for airlines is how long military activity persists and whether airspace restrictions broaden. Carriers typically wait for clearer conditions before restoring service, particularly on routes with limited diversion options.
For Venezuela, the flight cancellations add another constraint on a country already reliant on a thin web of regional connections through nearby hubs. Airlines generally resume normal schedules only after regulators and insurers are satisfied civil aviation can operate safely.
