Portugal's TAP resumes flights to Venezuela via Valencia airport

Portugal’s flag carrier TAP announced that it will restart scheduled services to Venezuela on 13 July, operating initially once a week and aiming to raise the frequency to two flights weekly. Because the main Simón Bolívar Airport in Caracas was rendered inoperable by the magnitude‑7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes on 24 June, the airline will use the Arturo Michelena Airport in Valencia, about 170 km west of the capital. The first flight will carry roughly 8.7 tonnes of medical and pharmaceutical supplies provided by the Portuguese Ministry of Health and coordinated with the Camões Institute. Flights will include a technical stop in Pointe‑à‑Pitre, Guadeloupe, and no aircraft or crew will remain in Venezuela.

The resumption of air links is intended to serve the Portuguese community in Venezuela and to support the broader humanitarian response. Portugal has already dispatched two Air Force cargo planes delivering about 12 tonnes of food, hygiene kits, ambulances and other essential items, together with €400 000 in funding for aid projects. The earthquakes have caused at least 3 811 deaths, 16 740 injuries and left 57 people missing, including 102 Portuguese nationals.