The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a cautionary warning to U.S. airlines advising heightened vigilance over specific regions of Mexico, Central America, and South America due to ongoing “military activities” and potential interference with satellite navigation systems, reports Baltimore Chronicle via newsoboz.org.
On Friday afternoon, the FAA released seven Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) covering extensive areas of Mexican and Latin American airspace, including Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, and segments of the Pacific Ocean. The advisory, effective for the next 60 days through March 17, emphasizes potential risks to aircraft at all altitudes, encompassing overflight operations as well as takeoff and landing procedures.
This alert follows two recent incidents last month in which U.S. military aircraft nearly collided with commercial flights off the coast of Venezuela, occurring shortly after U.S. strikes targeted vessels involved in alleged drug trafficking and the seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker. In response to a subsequent military action in Venezuela, the FAA temporarily restricted flights across the Caribbean, resulting in the cancellation of hundreds of commercial flights and stranding thousands of passengers for several days.
Tensions between the United States and countries in Central and South America have intensified following the Trump administration’s increased military presence in the southern Caribbean. These developments culminated in the Venezuelan military engagement and the seizure of President Nicolás Maduro. President Donald Trump has also indicated potential military measures in the region, including operations in Colombia and suggestions that the United States could assume control of the Panama Canal. Additionally, last week, Trump threatened targeted military actions against Mexican drug cartels.
In response to the FAA advisories, U.S. airlines have largely refrained from issuing public statements, although they typically adjust flight paths to circumvent high-risk airspace based on NOTAM guidance. United Airlines confirmed it is monitoring developments and has no further comments. Southwest Airlines stated it remains in close communication with U.S. authorities and will enact contingency protocols if necessary. Delta Air Lines directed inquiries back to the FAA, while American Airlines and JetBlue did not respond to requests for comment.
Mexico’s civil aviation authority clarified that the FAA warning pertains only to U.S. aircraft and does not necessitate operational changes within Mexican airspace, describing the notice as a “preventive advisory” rather than a flight ban, and affirming that civil aviation in Mexico remains unaffected.
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