Posted at: 1352 UTC, 07:52 AM U.S. Central Time

Venezuela (Country threat level - 4): Effective 1 March 2006, U.S.-based Continental Airlines and Delta Airlines will not be allowed to fly to Venezuela, while American Airline’s flights will be cut by 70 percent. The vast majority of travel between Venezuela and the United States is conducted on these airlines. The National Institute of Civil Aviation (INAC) imposed this ban in response to a similar ban the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) imposed on Venezuelan-registered commercial airlines ten years ago. The affected airlines were notified of this decision late on 23 February, in a document that did not give further explanations. As of 24 February, these airlines continued to operate as scheduled. Representatives of the three airlines are scheduled to meet with Venezuelan aviation authorities on 24 February to discuss the unexpected ban.

Flights to and from Venezuela are available through Chilean-based Lan Chile and national carriers Aeropostal and Santa Barbara Airlines. These airlines fly to Miami. Air Security International’s Airline Insider rates Lan Chile and Aeropostal as adequate.