FAA warns of GNSS interference in the Maiquetia flight information region and urges 72-hour notice
President Donald Trump on Saturday urged carriers to treat the airspace above Venezuela as closed, a forceful post on Truth Social that came after the Federal Aviation Administration issued a formal warning about growing hazards in the region. In his post, Trump wrote, “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY,” a blunt statement that amplified an already elevated safety notice from the FAA.
FAA advisory, GNSS interference, and practical impact on flights
The FAA had advised carriers earlier that they should “exercise caution when operating in the Maiquetia flight information region at all altitudes due to the worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela,” language that warns of risks during overflight, arrival, departure, and ground operations. The agency added, “Threats could pose a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes, including during overflight, the arrival and departure phases of flight, and/or airports and aircraft on the ground,” and asked airlines to provide at least 72-hour advance notice to the FAA if they plan to fly through the area.
The FAA also flagged increased electronic interference, writing, “Since September 2025, there has been an increase in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference in the Maiquetia Flight Information Region (SVZM FIR), as well as activity associated with increasing Venezuela military readiness.” The advisory explained the technical danger in stark terms, noting, “GNSS jammers and spoofers can affect aircraft out to 250 nautical miles and can impact a wide variety of critical communication, navigation, surveillance, and safety equipment on aircraft.” That kind of interference can disrupt navigation systems that pilots and airlines rely on for safe routing and approaches.
Airlines respond, cancellations and route changes
Following the FAA notice, some international carriers adjusted or canceled services to Venezuela. Reports said that certain airlines canceled Venezuela flights after the FAA warning, and Reuters noted that “Direct flights from U.S. passenger and cargo carriers to Venezuela have been suspended since 2019, but some airlines still fly over the country on their South American routes.” Spain’s Iberia Airlines, for example, “said it was canceling its flights to Venezuela indefinitely,” a move that underscores how carriers are treating the combination of security concerns and GNSS interference as a significant operational risk.
For airlines that still route flights near or over Venezuelan airspace, the FAA’s request for at least a 72-hour notice introduces additional planning burdens, and the GNSS interference warning raises the prospect that overflight routes could become temporarily unsafe. The advisory’s mention that interference can have lingering effects throughout a flight is especially concerning for long-haul operations that transit the broader Caribbean and northern South America corridors.
What this means for passengers and regional aviation safety
Passengers flying in the region should expect possible reroutes, cancellations, and longer flights as carriers avoid the Maiquetia flight information region or require additional approvals. The FAA’s emphasis on both increased military activity and GNSS interference signals a layered threat, combining conventional security concerns with the technical risk of navigation and communications disruption. Regulators and airlines will likely keep monitoring the situation closely, and the FAA directed media to its Nov. 21 advisory when asked about the president’s instructions.
The president’s public directive on Truth Social amplified the FAA’s advisory language and shifted political attention onto the issue. Whether airlines will formally treat the Venezuelan flight region as closed will depend on ongoing risk assessments by national regulators and individual carriers. For now, the FAA’s advisory and the reported cancellations by some carriers, including Iberia, mean that safer routing and extra caution will shape flights near Venezuela in the coming days.
What officials and travelers should watch next
Key indicators to follow include any updated FAA notices, statements from other civil aviation authorities in the Americas, and airline filings that adjust routes or list Venezuela as a no-fly or high-risk area. Travelers with itineraries in northern South America, the Caribbean, or transits that might cross the SVZM FIR should check with their airlines for route changes and confirm timing, as carriers may require longer lead times or rebookings. Aviation safety experts will also be watching reports of GNSS interference and any confirmations of jamming or spoofing events, given the FAA warning that these systems “can affect aircraft out to 250 nautical miles.”
In the near term, passengers and industry observers should expect continued caution, and for airlines to weigh operational safety against scheduling and commercial pressures. The combination of the FAA’s technical advisory and the president’s public instruction has made Venezuelan airspace a focal point for safety, regulatory, and political attention this week.
