The National Institute of Civil Aeronautics imposed new restrictions in Venezuelan airspace when establishing four exclusion zones in the Maiquetía FIR, which prohibit commercial flights, including overflights and crossings in the delimited segments.
The measure -established in the Notam A0622/25 and disclosed by the Venezuelan aeronautical lawyer Guillermo De Armas – is valid from November 30 to March 1 of next year.
According to the document, civil aircraft are prevented from operating in specific coordinates of Venezuelan airspace due to “military operations”, which requires alternative routes and strict coordination between pilots and control centers.
These restrictions affect mainly areas of the east and center of the country and even areas near the Caribbean Sea, at a time when regional security is under increasing international attention due to the US deployment against Venezuela, which has intensified in recent weeks.
What are the areas affected by the INAC restriction?
Exclusion zone N-5
North of the Zulia state – La Guajira peninsula (near the border with Colombia).
- Umbrella
- Castles.
- Venezuelan Alta Guajira.
- Border with Colombia.
Exclusion zone N-6
South of Lake Maracaibo – Perijá – Zulia/Táchira border.
- Sierra de Perijá.
- Border municipalities of Zulia.
- Mountainous area towards the south of the lake.
- Vicinities of the Machiques-Colón axis.
Exclusion zone N-7
Western plains – Apure/Barinas border and to the south.
- North of Apure.
- West of Barinas.
- Part of the Andean foothills.
- Areas near the Guasdualito–El Nula axis.
Exclusion zone N-8
Amazonas – border between Amazonas and Bolívar (southern of the country).
- Southern Amazon.
- North and northeast of Bolívar state.
- Areas adjacent to the Canaima National Park.
- Proximity to routes to Brazil and Guyana.
US President Donald Trump recently stated that Venezuelan airspace should be considered “completely closed,” which raised the perception of risk for civil aviation.
Airlines must decide based on their risk assessment
Faced with the new scenario, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reiterated that Airlines must retain the freedom to individually assess risks before flying to or over Venezuela, with safety as an absolute priority.
“Safety is and will continue to be aviation’s top priority,” recalled the organization, which brings together more than 360 airlines around the world.
The entity indicated that in contexts in which there are explicit alerts, such as those recently issued by the United States and Europe, prudence must guide decision-making, including suspend or cancel operations if necessary.
The European Aviation Safety Agency had warned on Saturday about the operational risks in Venezuela and recommended Take extreme precautions at least until January 31, 2026.
Although The Nicolás Maduro regime has not declared a total closure of its airspace, NOTAM A0622/25 increases the limitations on civil aviation. For IATA, the skies must remain open in principle, but always subordinated to legal compliance and the protection of passengers and crews.
“The airlines have expressed their willingness to resume services to Venezuela as soon as the necessary conditions exist to do so safely,” said the association, which urged governments to respect the operational independence of the companies.
