US Embassy warns that Venezuela is losing airline access, travelers could be stranded

Come to Venezuela and you might get a longer trip than you bargained for. That's what the U.S. government is warning.

The U.S. Embassy in Caracas issued an advisory Tuesday urging Americans to take extra care when traveling to Venezuela amid a steep drop in airline service to the socialist South American country.

Delta, American and United Airlines have slashed service to Venezuela this summer. The Venezuela Airlines Association reports that the number of seats on flights between Venezuela and the U.S. has fallen by more than half since Jan. 1.

The cause: A dispute over some $4 billion in cash trapped in the country. Decade-old currency controls prevent airlines from converting local earnings into dollars without government approval. And the cash-strapped government is preventing carriers from repatriating profits.