The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has downgraded the air safety rating of Venezuela to a failing category 2.
The FAA says Venezuela no longer complies with ICAO aviation safety standards, following an extensive review ‘based on safety-related information currently available.’
It has little bearing on current operations between the two counties as US airlines had been banned from flying to Venezuela over safety concerns.
Like that decision, the safety rating is as much about politics as aviation.
The two countries cut off diplomatic ties earlier this year and the US backed the disputed Presidential takeover by opposition leader Juan Guaido.
Venezuelan carriers Laser Airlines and Avior Airlines had served Miami but currently there are no flights between the two counties.
