"Maria Cordero should be preparing for her arrival in Caracas for the Christmas holidays, but she's at home in Spain, checking her airline's notifications every few hours. Her direct flight to Venezuela was canceled, and the only alternative they're offering her now is to land in Bogota and, from there, continue to the border and cross on foot into Cucuta, the Colombian city that has become the de facto new international gateway for Venezuelans."
"Over the past two weeks, Venezuelan airspace has emptied, becoming a sky without planes. Restrictions imposed by the United States on commercial operations around Maiquetia the country's main airport have left Venezuela practically isolated. Connections with Europe are effectively closed, and the routes that remain active depend on very few hubs: Bogota, with dwindling frequencies, and, until last Wednesday, Panama, whose airlines temporarily suspended flights due to intermittent navigation issues."
"With Maiquetia Airport reduced to a handful of destinations Curacao, Barbados, Manaus, Cancun, St. Petersburg, and Moscow the country has shifted much of its international traffic to an unexpected location: the small airport of San Antonio del Tachira, on the border with Colombia. There, weekly passenger traffic has increased from 3,500 to more than 5,000. Travel agencies are already selling packages that include assistance crossing the Simon Bolivar International Bridge to the airport in Cucuta, which has been converted into a makeshift international terminal for Venezuelans."
Maria Cordero's direct flight to Caracas was canceled, leaving a Spain-based traveler with an alternative route via Bogota and an on-foot border crossing into Cucuta. Venezuelan airspace has largely emptied over two weeks, with commercial operations around Maiquetia curtailed by US-imposed restrictions and intermittent navigation issues affecting Panama routes. European connections are effectively closed and remaining services rely on few hubs, notably Bogota. Much international traffic has shifted to San Antonio del Tachira airport on the Colombian border, where weekly passenger numbers rose from 3,500 to over 5,000. Travel agencies now sell packages including bridge crossings to Cucuta, converted into a makeshift international terminal. Local carriers plan to double flights in December and January to meet demand.
Read at english.elpais.com
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