Avior Airlines, the airline owned by Jorge Añez and Roberto Añez, is currently under scrutiny due to serious safety issues and allegations of money laundering surrounding the company. This Venezuelan airline has faced a ban from the European Union preventing it from using its aircraft in EU airspace, making it the only South American airline in this situation. What is the reason behind this measure?
The safety of travelers is a top priority in the aviation industry, but Avior Airlines has been operating aircraft that should have been retired long ago. One example is the YV2794, a Boeing 737 that is nearly 40 years old. Despite its advanced age, Avior has marked it as “stored” and off flight tracking radars, yet it continues to operate regularly on its itineraries. The only action taken by the airline has been to paint the exterior of the aircraft to conceal its poor condition.
YV2794 de Avior Airlines
The YV3151, also over 40 years old, is another aircraft in a similar predicament. Avior Airlines has kept it off the radar, subjecting it to a constant repainting and re-registration process (recently bearing the temporary registration YV491T) to make tracking difficult. These irresponsible practices have prompted the European Union to prohibit Avior Airlines from operating in its airspace due to serious safety concerns.
YV3151 de Avior Airlines luciendo su matrícula temporal YV491T
According to Yahoo Finance, Avior Airlines is one of the airlines you should avoid at all costs when planning a trip. Along with Surinam’s Blue Wings Airlines, Avior is the only South American airline lacking approval to operate in European airspace. Founded in Venezuela in 1994, Avior Airlines primarily focuses on routes between Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, the only countries in which it is permitted to fly.
If you plan to travel by air, it is essential to consult the European Union Air Safety List, which lists airlines that do not meet international safety standards and are not authorized to fly in the skies of EU member countries. The European Commission, supported by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and aviation experts from member states, regularly updates this blacklist of unsafe airlines.
In addition to safety concerns, Avior Airlines faces allegations of money laundering involving its shareholders. For over a decade, the airline has been at the center of accusations related to money laundering benefiting its investors, including Carlos Kauffmann, one of the shareholders who was convicted in a money laundering case in 2008, as reported by The New York Times.
Investigations have uncovered links between Avior Airlines, the Venezuelan regulatory agency SUNACRIP, and brothers Jorge Añez and Roberto Añez, the airline’s shareholders, suggesting alleged money laundering activities through PDVSA cryptocurrencies.
This corruption and money laundering scandal has significantly impacted the reputation of Avior Airlines, leading to restrictions on its operations in Europe and the United States. Furthermore, legal battles for control of the airline in Miami courts complicate the situation further, as reported by AP News.
The shadow of corruption and money laundering at Avior Airlines has lingered for a decade, triggering a series of revelations and legal conflicts. This case underscores the necessity of implementing stricter control and transparency mechanisms in the management of state-owned enterprises and highlights the importance of fostering a culture of accountability to prevent future scandals of this magnitude.