Delta, Other Carriers Await Ruling That Will Affect Their Flights

The US and Venezuelan authorities are reportedly close to a "permanent solution" to avert a ban on US airlines from operating in the South American country.

"My hope is that during this week they will conclude these consultations that will permit a permanent solution," US Ambassador William Brownfield said.

As Aero-News reported last month, Venezuela claims an 11-year-old safety-based restriction on flights from the country to America has locked Venezuelan airlines out of the US market. The government originally banned flights from America on February 24, but later agreed to delay the ruling by one month so a possible solution could be reached. That deadline is Thursday.

The Associated Press reports an FAA delegation is in Caracas this week, to hash out a solution to the ban, as well as to assess claims by the INAC (Venezuela's National Aviation Institute) that Venezuela's planes are much safer than they were in 1995.

"The two governments basically have an agreement that the FAA will conclude its job... as soon as possible and the INAC is going to suspend the measures against the US air companies," Brownfield said.

The FAA currently ranks Venezuela as a category 2 carrier, which prevents Venezuelan airlines from flying their own planes to the United States. Two Venezuelan airlines operate flights to the US by using planes and crew leased from American companies.

In its favor, Venezuela says a 2004 audit by the UN International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) found the country's airlines met 88 percent of recommended aviation safety standards -- up from 39 percent in 1999.

Whether that will be enough for the FAA to change its mind on Venezuelan airlines, however, remains to be seen -- and the agency has said it won't decide to upgrade the safety rating until after the delegation returns to the US on Thursday.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.inac.gov.ve