The Turkish airline cancels its Istanbul-Caracas-Istanbul route amid the US military escalation in the Caribbean. Photo: Jan Johansen.
Guacamaya, November 23, 2025. Turkish Airlines announced on Sunday that it is cancelling its flights to Venezuela between November 24 and 28, joining five other airlines that have also temporarily suspended their operations due to the US military escalation in the Caribbean.
The temporary cancellations are primarily due to a security alert known as a NOTAM, issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration. The other five airlines are Iberia, TAP Air Portugal, LATAM Airlines, Avianca, and GOL.
In its public statement, Turkish Airlines only announced that the suspension of the Istanbul-Caracas-Istanbul route is due to “operational reasons.”
The NOTAM, issued for the Flight Information Regions (FIRs) of Maiquetia, Curaçao, and Puerto Rico, has been unofficially linked to potential US military actions in the region.
On Saturday, Reuters reported that the Trump administration was preparing a new phase of actions in Venezuela, starting with covert operations. The Washington Post later reported that the White House considered airdropping leaflets with the bounty for the capture of Nicolás Maduro on his birthday.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to operate its regular deportation flights to Venezuela, scheduled for Wednesdays and Fridays. The 71st flight arrived on November 21 with 200 Venezuelan migrants.
Not all international airlines are canceling their flights to Venezuela at this time. Air Europa, Wingo, Plus Ultra, and Copa Airlines continue their routes to Caracas, while the Russian airline Nordwind maintains its route to Porlamar on Margarita Island.
Domestic airlines, such as Conviasa and Avior, continue to operate domestic and international flights without interruption to date.
