Affected by previous U.S. air strikes, Simon Bolivar International Airport in Venezuela's capital Caracas, the country's major air passenger gateway, has seen thin traffic after resuming operations.
Since Jan. 13, the airport has gradually welcomed the resumption of international routes by a small number of foreign airlines. However, the number of arriving international flights remains low, with only 12 international flights were recorded on Tuesday.
Service counters of most international airlines at the airport remain closed, with some check-in desks left idle, reflecting a sharp reduction in international flights. Arnaldo, who works at an airport restaurant, said that since late November last year, many international airlines have successively canceled flights, leading to a noticeable drop in passenger flow and affecting business operations.
"After the cancellation of flights, the number of passengers has dropped significantly. Before, there were 16 to 18 flights a day. Now there are only four to six, sometimes even two to three, and that has greatly reduced sales. Restaurant sales have fallen by around 60 percent," said Arnaldo.
The tourism industry, which mainly serves international travelers, has also been affected. Angelica Pena, who works for a travel agency at the airport, said flight suspensions have led to declining sales of air tickets and travel packages.
"Sales are a little low due to flight cancellations, but we hope that with the resumption of flights in the coming days, sales here at the airport will improve," she said.
As some international airlines have gradually resumed operations, limited signs of recovery are emerging. However, flight numbers, the reopening of service counters, and on-site passenger flow indicated that Simon Bolivar International Airport still has a long way to go before a full recovery amid lingering uncertainties.
Venezuela's capital airport traffic yet to recover from previous US strikes
