As Venezuela crumbles, airlines fleeing

Assassination. Contaminated fuel. Bandits. Theft of luggage. Broken down runways. These are a few of the reasons why Airlines are pulling out of Venezuela as the country's economy and society implodes.From The Mercury News:

The current round of carrier defections comes after routes had stabilized from the previous exodus triggered by the governments halt of dollar payments, and leaves Venezuelans increasingly cut off from the rest of the world. A flight to Miami in coach class can cost about $1,000, in a country where the monthly minimum wage is about $20 at the black market rate.

The nations social and economic implosion has turned tasks as simple as busing flight crew to hotels into logistical challenges. Staff who once stayed overnight in Caracas, which is about a 45-minute drive away, took to sleeping in hotels near the airport to avoid the bandit-ridden highway. Even then, theyd get attacked, minutes outside the airport perimeter. Some carriers took to flying crew to spend the night in neighboring countries.

Avianca hired bodyguards after shots were fired during a robbery of a bus carrying its crew. Although no one was injured, it wasnt enough to calm nerves, and the overnight route was eventually canceled, according to Acdac.

Image: Paulino Moran / Wikipedia