SBA Airlines (Caracas Simón Bolivar) has temporarily suspended flights from Caracas Simón Bolivar to Tenerife Norte with effect from February 1. While the Venezuelan carrier did not elaborate on the exact reason for the route's suspension simply referring to "reasons that are beyond their control", it is believed the country's foreign currency exchange crisis has played a part. So dire has the situation in the Latin American country become that fellow local carrier, Venezolana (WW, Maracaibo), has been forced to suspend its operations as it is unable to pay insurance premiums on its aircraft to its London-based insurer. SBA has reportedly also returned its wet-leased B767-300(ER) TF-LLB (msn 25000) to Icelandair (FI, Reykjavik Keflavik) at the end of January. TF-LLB operated the last departure from Tenerife Norte. El Universal newspaper says SBA has been unable to access funds needed to buy spare parts and pay for MRO services owing to the lack of foreign liquidity at the Venezuelan government's forex control commission (Comisión de Administración de Divisas - CADIVI). The ch-aviation aircraft database shows SBA's international fleet consists of three B757-200s, two of which are currently undergoing maintenance, and two own B767-300(ER)s. Despite the long-haul route suspension, SBA will continue to operate flights from Caracas to Miami International and Panamá City Tocumen International.