After nearly seven years, American Airlines' first commercial flight from US to Venezuela to take off today
The move follows improved security conditions and renewed US–Venezuela ties after Nicolas Maduro’s ouster and reforms by the interim government.American Airlines to fly to Venezuela for first time since 2019(REUTERS)For the first time in seven years, a US commercial passenger plane will take off for Venezuela on Thursday morning (local time), as the two sides continue to restore economic ties following the ouster of Venezuela's former President Nicolas Maduro in January, CNN reported.The inaugural American Airlines flight will last just under three and a half hours. It will depart from Miami, Florida, to Caracas, Venezuela's capital, on Thursday at 10:16 a.m. ET (7:46 pm IST), before landing at Simon Bolivar International Airport at 1:36 p.m. local time. It is scheduled to return to Miami later that afternoon.American Airlines launches inaugural flight to VenezuelaThe carrier said it would be the first United States carrier to relaunch a daily service to the South American country, adding that it will be using an Embraer 175 dual-class aircraft operated by Envoy, the airline’s wholly owned subsidiary.The intent to resume flights to Caracas was announced by the carrier earlier in January, on the same day when US President Donald Trump directed the Department of Transportation to take steps to reestablish air services to Venezuela.In a release in January, it said, "American Airlines is proud to be the first airline to announce plans to reinstate nonstop service between the United States and Venezuela. The airline remains in close contact with federal authorities and is ready to commence flights to Venezuela, pending government approval and security assessments."Nat Pieper, American Airlines' Chief Commercial Officer, said, "We have a more than 30-year history connecting Venezuelans to the U.S., and we are ready to renew that incredible relationship," and added, "By restarting service to Venezuela, American will offer customers the opportunity to reunite with families and create new business and commerce with the United States.”US imposed ban in 2019 on airlines operating in VenezuelaAmerican Airlines, which was once considered the largest US airline operating in Caracas, had suspended operations in 2019, when Washington imposed a ban on passenger and cargo flights traveling there.However, it lifted the ban two weeks ago after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) determined that “conditions in Venezuela no longer threaten the safety and security of passengers, aircraft, and crew.”US captures MaduroThe ban was rescinded nearly three months after the US military captured Nicolas Maduro and his wife earlier in January. He was quickly dragged into custody as he tried to flee to his steel-enforced safe room. His capture was the dramatic culmination of a months-long campaign, whose ultimate goal was long clear to those involved in its planning: to oust Maduro from power.US normalises diplomatic ties with VenezuelaSince the raid in early January, the Trump administration has normalised diplomatic and economic relations with the country's acting government, led by interim President Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice president.Under pressure from Trump and his administration, Rodríguez implemented a series of political and economic reforms, including an amnesty law that released hundreds of political prisoners and a hydrocarbons law that made it easier for foreign companies to participate in the country’s oil industry.In return, Washington has been easing sanctions previously imposed on Venezuelan entities.About the AuthorSwati GandhiSwati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particu
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