American Airlines Ends Flights to Venezuela Amidst State Dept. ‘Do Not Travel’ Advisory

American Airlines aircraft at Miami International Airport

As relations between the United States and Venezuela continued to deteriorate, the U.S. Department of State ordered all remaining U.S. diplomats to leave the country, and American Airlines said it had ended all flights there.

The agency issued a Level 4 – Do Not Travel advisory on March 12.

“Do not travel to Venezuela due to crime, civil unrest, poor health infrastructure, and arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens,” it said in a statement.

Following the advisory, the union representing American Airlines pilots told its members not to accept trips to the South American country.

“Do not accept any trips to Venezuela,” it told its members in a message from the union’s president, Dennis Tajer, adding that this was “in accordance with the direction of the U.S. Department of State.”

The following day, American suspended its flights to Caracas, the only city it served.

“The safety and security of our team members and customers is always number one and American will not operate to countries we don’t consider safe,” the airline said in a statement.

American was the only U.S. airline offering service to the country.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)