New Deadline April 25

As FAA negotiators left Caracas Thursday to deliberate the possibility of allowing Venezuela to resume flights to the United States after an 11-year ban, that country's government eased off on the deadline for its own move to block US airlines from flying to the South American country.

That ban was due to take effect Thursday -- the same day US representatives were scheduled to fly back to Washington to debate lifting the 1995 ban on Venezuelan aircraft. Venezuela now says it will give the US a little more time to act.

"It has been decided to grant an extension until April 25, 2006 in anticipation of formally receiving before that date the results of the visit by the FAA," the Venezuelan government said in a written release. The delay will give FAA officials time to finish their safety audit of the country.

Venezuela hopes the US will upgrade its current category 2 safety ranking, which has prohibited Venezuelan airlines from flying to the US since 1995 -- unless they charter planes operated and flown by companies that meet the tougher Category 1 requirement.

Two Venezuela airlines have done just that -- but the ban still prohibits those carriers from launching new services, or from changing routes.

Despite the delay, Venezuela maintains its threat that if the FAA fails to grant it category 1 status, it will prohibit all flights to the country by Continental Airlines and Delta Air Lines, and will restrict flights by American Airlines.

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