American Airlines cancels only direct flight route between the US and Venezuela due to earthquakes
American Airlines stops flying to Caracas due to the magnitude of the damage to Venezuela's main airport affected by two earthquakes
The damage caused by two powerful earthquakes in Venezuela's main airport forced the American Airlines company to cancel the only direct flight route between the United States and the Bolivarian Republic.
During the afternoon of Wednesday, two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, respectively, were recorded in the center of the South American country.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquakes occurred at a depth of approximately 13.2 kilometers, a feature that made them powerful.
Venezuelan authorities mention 188 people dead and 1,520 injured; while on the material level, 346 structures were seriously affected, including buildings, hospitals and shopping centers.
However, as the days go by, the amount of damage will increase.
One of the big problems that Venezuelans face is the impossibility of having the Maiquetía International Airport, Simón Bolívar, a city near Caracas.
Aircraft landing and takeoff operations at said terminal were suspended until further notice due to the structural damage recorded.
As a result, American Airlines canceled its flights from Miami to Caracas, the only direct route between the United States and Venezuela.
The Colombian company Avianca joined the list by canceling its four flights on the Bogotá-Caracas-Bogotá route.
Following a similar route, the Panamanian airline Copa Airlines suspended the four flights on its daily schedule with a final destination in Venezuela.
From Europe, flights to the Bolivarian Republic from Madrid were also eliminated, this after Iberia, Air Europa and Plus Ultra chose to pause their itineraries to Caracas.
In this way, there is no commercial flight that guarantees arriving or leaving Caracas, where the earth does not stop moving due to hundreds of aftershocks of earthquakes.
The Venezuelan authorities urge the population to remain sheltered at home so as not to hinder rescue efforts while help from intentional experts in natural disasters arrives.
Through their websites, the aforementioned airlines have indicated to their passengers with tickets purchased in advance that their flights will be rescheduled to the extent possible.