Travel Advisories Prompt American Airlines To Suspend Flights To Venezuela
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — American Airlines is stopping flights to Venezuela because of safety concerns after the pilots' union told its members to refuse to work the flights.
American was the last major U.S. carrier to fly to the troubled country. It flew daily to Caracas and Maracaibo from Miami.
The Fort Worth-based airline said Friday it temporarily stopped the flights and won't operate to countries it doesn't consider safe.
Late Thursday night, the president of the Allied Pilots Association directed pilots to refuse Venezuela assignments.
Daniel Carey noted that the State Department warnings about crime and detention of American citizens. The U.S. pulled its last diplomats out of the country Thursday and days before operations of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas were ceased and U.S. citizens in Venezuela were warned to leave the country.
The U.S. State Department on Tuesday said it suspended operations of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas. The warning instructed U.S. citizens in Venezuela to leave the country.
Other U.S. and many foreign carriers have stopped flying to Venezuela as the country's economic and political situation has deteriorated in recent years.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
