Sky high alert: Global airlines ground flights to key destination amid US warning of 'potentially hazardous' situation

Washington (The Uttam Hindu): War-like situation seems to be developing once again in the South American country Venezuela. After the US's warning of 'overthrowing' Nicolas Maduro's government and indications of military action, there is panic in the international aviation world. Amidst this tense atmosphere, many major airlines of the world have cancelled their flights to Venezuela with immediate effect citing security. According to Reuters report, Brazil's Gol, Colombia's Avianca and Portugal's TAP Air did not operate their scheduled flights from Caracas on Saturday, due to which passengers faced huge inconvenience.

The main reason for this chaos is the rising tension between the US and Venezuela, which has increased due to the warning from the Trump administration. According to reports, four senior US officials have indicated that the Trump administration may launch a new phase of operations against the Maduro government in Venezuela in the coming days. Although the timing and scope of these operations are not completely clear, sources claim that discussions are at a serious level and covert operations may be carried out initially. Due to this apprehension, an atmosphere of fear has developed in the airspace.

The wave of flight cancellations began after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a warning warning airlines of a "potentially hazardous situation" regarding flights over Venezuelan airspace. According to the latest data from Flightradar24 and the website of Simón Bolívar Maiquetía International Airport, airlines quickly responded with flight cancellations.

Airlines from various countries have made it clear that they cannot compromise on the safety of their passengers and crew. Spain's Iberia Airline has announced that it is cancelling flights to Caracas from Monday until further notice. Meanwhile, TAP Air Portugal has also canceled next Tuesday's flight and said that according to the alert of the US authorities, there is no guarantee of security in Venezuelan airspace. Moreover, Colombia's aviation authority 'Aeronáutica Civil' has also confirmed that flying may be risky due to the deteriorating security situation and increased military activities in the region.