The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a 60-day warning on January 15 warning airlines against flying over Central America and Mexico, Reuters reported.
It came as the FAA ordered airlines to exercise caution due to the risks of potential US military activities in the region and GPS jamming in flight instruments, he added.
Mexico, in particular, responded to the FAA’s advice, saying it was only a precautionary measure and did not restrict Mexican airspace or airlines. “The notice applies only to US operators and air traffic in Mexico remains unaffected,” the ministry said in a statement.
What makes the FAA cautious about Mexico and Central American airspace?
The FAA on Jan. 15 issued a notice to airmen regarding the airspace over Mexico and Central American countries, including Colombia, Ecuador and parts of the airspace in the eastern Pacific Ocean for 60 days, according to the report.
A similar move followed the US attack on Venezuela, when hundreds of flights were canceled due to restrictions imposed across the Caribbean. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told Reuters that there was good coordination between the agency and the US military before the Venezuelan operation.
In December, JetBlue Flight 1112, carrying passengers from Curacao to New York and flying 60 km off the coast of Venezuela, reportedly encountered and narrowly avoided colliding with a US Air Force refueling plane with a disabled transponder, the report added.
US relations in Central America have been strained since the Maduro takeover
The report added that relations between the US and regional leaders in Central America are strained after the Trump administration detained Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a large-scale military operation last month.
Since then, US President Donald Trump has also warned of action against Colombia, which has been vocal in its opposition to US actions in Venezuela. Last week, Donald Trump also claimed that drug cartels were running Mexico and said the US could target them with strikes or military force, he added.
(With inputs from Reuters)