U.S. Administration Lifts Ban on Venezuela Air Service

U.S.-Venezuela air travelers can let out a collective sigh of relief. The U.S. government lifted its restrictions on Venezuelan airline service to the U.S. last April 21, which removes Venezuela´s threat to severely restrict U.S. airline service to its country.

The decision not only preserves the services U.S.-Venezuela travelers now use, but also could offer them more options. Some Venezuelan carriers reportedly have been preparing to increase their services to the U.S. once the restrictions were lifted.

The Federal Aviation Administration lifted the U.S. restrictions April 21 by raising the FAA´s rating of Venezuela´s civil aviation system to Category 1, under the FAA´s International Aviation Safety Assessments program.

The Category 1 rating means the FAA determined Venezuela licenses and oversees air carriers are in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization safety standards.

The FAA had assigned Venezuela a Category 2 rating in 1995, which meant the FAA did not consider it in compliance. When the FAA rates a country as Category 2, it penalizes airlines in the country by freezing their service to the U.S., even though the FAA has not made any determination that the airlines themselves are unsafe.

Airlines from a Category 2 country cannot begin new service to the U.S. or add to their existing U.S. service unless they lease aircraft and crews from a U.S. carrier or an airline from a Category 1 country.