Santa Barbara Airlines preps for shutdown in July 2018

Santa Barbara Airlines has informed its workforce that it plans to officially close its doors by July 2018, with 20% of its employees transferred to Aserca Airlines.

Santa Barbara suspended operations in November 2017 due to lack of aircraft. Its AOC was suspended for 90 days in late January 2018 by Venezuelan regulators.

The shutdown comes amid an array of political, social and economic problems in Venezuela, which is affecting all airlines in the country.