Expedia, Orbitz stop selling Venezuela tickets amid turmoil

Travel websites like Expedia and Orbitz have quietly stopped selling airline tickets for Venezuela amid recent political turmoil, further isolating the socialist-run country after years of declining flight service. On Thursday, it was impossible to find on the popular websites any Venezuelan cities in the drop-down list of booking options for hotels and flights to the South American country. The Bellevue, Washington-based Expedia Group said the company was acting on behalf of travelers' wellbeing and in accordance with recent travel advice by foreign governments about crime and civil unrest. "Once governmental advice reaches a certain level of travel concern, we take action to close off destinations on our sites," a spokeswoman said. "This 'stop sell' will remain in effect until the situation in Venezuela improves and travel advice changes." The move comes after the US State Department on Jan. 29 said Americans shouldn't travel to Venezuela. The same advisory urged Americans to "consider departing while commercial flights are available." American Airlines, with two flights daily from Caracas to Miami, is the only remaining US carrier providing service to the country after Delta and United Airlines pulled out in 2017.<br/>