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American Airlines announced this Thursday that it plans to begin offering the first U.S. airline to resume operations in Venezuela after seven years of suspension, with daily direct flights between Miami and Caracas starting on April 30, reported EFE.
The airline has conditioned the start of the service on the completion of pending processes: "Once all governmental approvals and security checks are completed, American plans to offer daily nonstop flights between Miami (MIA) and Caracas, Venezuela (CCS), using Embraer 175 aircraft starting April 30," the company stated in a release.
The flights will be operated by Envoy Air, a subsidiary of American Airlines Group, using Embraer 175 aircraft with a capacity of 82 passengers.
The U.S. Department of Transportation granted Envoy Air in March a two-year exemption, valid until March 4, 2028, to provide regular air transportation for passengers, cargo, and mail between Miami and Caracas, and between Miami and Maracaibo.
Direct flights will reduce travel time to approximately three hours, compared to the current eight to twelve hours with layovers.
The commercial director of American Airlines, Nat Pieper, emphasized the strategic importance of the route: "American Airlines' hub in Miami is the main gateway from the United States to Latin America, and our service to Venezuela is a vital part of our history and our future."
For his part, the Executive Vice President of Government Affairs of the company, Nate Gatten, stated: "We feel encouraged by the progress we have made with both governments."
The suspension of flights dates back to March 2019, when Trump himself, during his first term, banned commercial air connections between the two countries amid the deterioration of diplomatic relations with the then government of Nicolás Maduro.
The catalyst for change was the capture of Maduro on January 3 of this year by U.S. special forces, after which Delcy Rodríguez assumed the role of acting president of Venezuela. The rapprochement between Washington and Caracas led to Trump lifting the ban on January 29, instructing Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, to reopen Venezuelan airspace.
American Airlines operated in Venezuela since 1987 and was, prior to its suspension, the largest American airline in that market, with up to three daily flights from Miami.
Despite progress, the Department of State has kept the travel alert for Venezuela at level 3, urging U.S. citizens to "reconsider travel" to the country due to risks of crime, kidnapping, terrorism, and inadequate healthcare infrastructure.
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