Venezuela Issues Ultimatum to Airlines: Resume Flights or Lose Operating Permits

On Tuesday, November 25, 2025, Venezuela’s Ministry of Transport issued a stern ultimatum to international air carriers that have suspended their operations within the country. The core demand is the immediate resumption of all scheduled flights. Failure to comply will result in the revocation of existing permits allowing these airlines to utilize Venezuelan airspace. The government in Caracas set a tight deadline for compliance, giving the airlines less than 48 hours to meet the directive, with a final cutoff set for 12:00 PM local time on Wednesday, November 26, 2025.

This wave of operational suspensions was triggered by a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) released by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday, November 21, 2025. The FAA warning cited a deteriorating security situation, increased military activities, and reported instances of radio electronic interference within the Maiquetía Flight Information Region (FIR). Following this advisory, several major international carriers—including Iberia, TAP Air Portugal, Avianca, GOL, LATAM, Caribbean Airlines, and Turkish Airlines—either halted or significantly curtailed their services into Caracas.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) weighed in on the matter, characterizing the airlines' decisions as temporary technical measures implemented to mitigate escalating risks. Meanwhile, Venezuela’s two national carriers, Conviasa and Estelar, confirmed their commitment to maintaining their regular flight schedules. As of November 25, 2025, international connectivity to Venezuela was being sustained by only four foreign operators: Copa Airlines from Panama, Wingo from Colombia, Boliviana de Aviación from Bolivia, and Satena, also from Colombia.

This regulatory confrontation is unfolding against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions that began escalating in August 2025. The situation intensified with the deployment of a U.S. Navy carrier strike group, spearheaded by the USS Gerald R. Ford, into the Caribbean basin. Further complicating matters was the U.S. administration’s designation of an organization linked to President Nicolás Maduro as a foreign terrorist entity. This designation precipitated Pentagon military operations, such as ‘Southern Spear,’ targeting alleged drug trafficking vessels since September 2025.

Caracas views these external maneuvers as thinly veiled attempts at regime change, leading to a nationwide mobilization of Venezuelan armed forces. The Venezuelan National Institute of Civil Aviation (INAC) formally delivered its directive to all carriers that paused operations, including Spanish companies Air Europa and Plus Ultra. While Iberia has stated its suspension will last until at least December 1, Turkish Airlines canceled flights through November 28, rerouting affected passengers via hubs like Bogotá, Panama City, or Havana.

Ultimately, this scenario represents a direct clash between sovereign regulatory mandates and internationally recognized aviation safety standards. The government’s ultimatum effectively links operational pauses, which were initiated due to external security warnings, directly to the potential forfeiture of their essential operating licenses within the nation.