Avianca and Copa Airlines suspend flights to Caracas due to earthquake damage at Simón Bolívar airport
The airlines Avianca and Copa Airlines announced the suspension of routes to and from Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, scheduled for June 24th and 25th. This urgent measure was taken in response to the structural damage caused by a recent earthquake to the infrastructure of Simón Bolívar International Airport, located in Maiquetía.
Avianca detailed that four of its operations were affected: flights AV122, on June 24, and AV123, AV142 and AV143, on June 25, all on the Bogotá-Caracas-Bogotá route, had their routes interrupted to ensure the integrity of passengers, staff and services.
The company expressed solidarity with the individuals, families and the entire airport community impacted by the earthquake that hit the Venezuelan capital last Wednesday afternoon.
With the aim of minimizing inconvenience to travelers, Avianca has instituted a flexibility plan for those who have reservations for flights to or from Caracas, with dates between June 24th and July 1st, making the following options available at no extra cost:
- Free rebooking: passengers can change the flight date without charging fines or differences in fare, limited to availability and for flights taken within 15 calendar days of the original date.
- Change of destination: it is possible to fly to or from Cúcuta, at no additional cost and depending on seat availability, with the change managed by the company’s Customer Service Center.
- Full refund: customers have the right to request a full refund for unused sections, completing the procedure via avianca.com or directly at the travel agency where the ticket was purchased.
Avianca has instructed all its customers to check the status of their flights on the avianca.com portal as a priority and to follow communications issued through the company’s official channels.
Measures adopted by Copa Airlines and reassessment of the situation
In turn, Copa Airlines announced that, initially, it chose to maintain its flight operations to other destinations within Venezuela unchanged, despite the temporary closure of national airspace. A new analysis of the situation will be conducted this Thursday, June 25th, with the aim of identifying and immediately reporting on potential new interruptions.
For passengers who purchased tickets until June 24, 2026, with flights to or from Caracas scheduled between June 24 and July 2, 2026, Copa Airlines offers the possibility of making changes to itineraries or requesting refunds, in accordance with the terms of its current flexibility policy. The alternatives are:
- Free date modification: changing the travel date is free, subject to the applicable conditions. Changes can be made until July 2, 2026, and the new trip must start before July 31, 2026.
- Flexibility of origin or destination: it is possible to change the point of departure or arrival without charging fees or fare differences, covering Venezuelan cities where Copa Airlines operates, such as Valencia, Barcelona, Barquisimeto and Maracaibo.
- Service channels: itinerary change requests can be processed through the Copa Airlines call center, sales offices and airport, or at partner travel agencies.
