Venezuela Delays Suspension of U.S. Flights Until March 30

Bloomberg.com: Latin America

Venezuela Delays Suspension of U.S. Flights Until March 30

Feb. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Venezuela delayed a ban on some U.S. flights until March 30 as the government seeks to negotiate greater access for domestic carriers to the U.S. for domestic carriers, the civil aviation institute said.

``This will allow communication channels to be established between authorities to find points of understanding about the issue in question,'' the institute said in a statement on its Web site.

Venezuela had said yesterday it would bar beginning March 1 Continental Airlines Inc. and Delta Air Lines Inc. from flying to Caracas and reduce flights by AMR Corp's American Airlines until Venezuelan carriers are allowed to expand service to the U.S. The ban, which will apply to passenger and cargo flights, will also force FedEx Corp. to scale back its flights to Venezuela.

Venezuelan carriers are blocked from adding to their U.S. flights by a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration decision in 1995 that downgraded the country's security, safety and technical rating.

U.S. carriers met with Venezuelan authorities yesterday, the aviation institute said in the statement.