Venezuela's decision to ban foreign airlines that stopped flying to the Caribbean country over concerns about US military activity was branded "disproportionate" on Thursday as thousands of passengers scrambled to save their travel plans.

Venezuela's aviation authority said Wednesday that it had banned six airlines -- Spain's Iberia, Portugal's TAP, Colombia's Avianca, Chile and Brazil's LATAM, Brazil's GOL and Turkish Airlines -- for "joining the actions of state terrorism promoted by the United States government."

The airlines, which account for much of the air travel in South America as well as air links to Europe, suspended flights to Venezuela last week following safety warnings from Washington, which has deployed warships in waters off Venezuela for what it calls an anti-narcotics

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