Colombia’s largest airline announced Thursday that it will resume service between Bogotá and the Venezuelan capital of Caracas.
In a statement, Avianca said nonstop flights between the two cities will operate daily from Feb. 12.
“The decision follows a comprehensive assessment of operational and aviation safety conditions conducted in coordination with the appropriate authorities,” the carrier said.
According to the Associated Press, Avianca halted flights to Caracas in 2017, citing concerns about the safety of its crews and passengers, and Venezuela’s worsening airport infrastructure.
At the time, the country was wracked by protests against President Nicolás Maduro.
Maduro and his wife were captured and transported to New York by U.S. military and law enforcement personnel in a raid on Caracas last month. Since then, the commercial aviation industry in Venezuela has begun to normalize, with President Donald Trump announcing that he will soon open Venezuelan airspace to U.S. carriers.
The U.S. has prohibited passenger and cargo flights to the country since 2019.
American Airlines was the first U.S. carrier to announce a return to Venezuela. The carrier said it is working to resume daily nonstop flights to the country, though it did not set a start date or disclose any planned routes.
