BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian airlines Avianca and Latam Colombia have announced that they will be resuming most of their flights on Tuesday and returning to full schedules by Wednesday. This decision comes after both airlines had warned of potential flight cancellations due to shortages of jet fuel.
Avianca confirmed that the main supplier of jet fuel in the nation has lifted restrictions on fuel supply to airlines. This development has allowed Avianca to resume ticket sales for all routes and proceed with its planned flights. On the other hand, Latam Colombia stated that it will be back to normal operations by Wednesday and has already reassigned passengers from cancelled Tuesday flights to alternative flights on the same day. Earlier on Monday, Latam Colombia had announced the cancellation of 36 flights due to fuel shortages.
The announcements by these major airlines, which collectively serve over 70% of Colombia's domestic passengers, marked the end of a chaotic day for the country's aviation industry. Many passengers were left stranded while others faced challenges in rebooking their flights.
The fuel crisis was triggered by a power outage on August 16 that disrupted jet fuel production at an Ecopetrol refinery in Cartagena. In response, Ecopetrol imported 100,000 barrels of jet fuel to ensure an adequate supply for domestic airlines. However, local fuel supplier Terpel informed airlines on August 21 that fuel cuts were imminent due to the production disruption.
Ecopetrol's President Ricardo Roa announced on Monday that jet fuel production had been restored and criticized fuel distributors for not importing sufficient fuel to meet the growing demand. President Gustavo Petro clarified that there is no actual shortage of jet fuel in the country but rather an 'irregular situation' that is currently under investigation. Transportation Minister María Constanza García mentioned that while there is enough jet fuel in Colombia, airports are facing logistical challenges.
Initially, the civil aviation authority had issued an ordinance on Sunday allowing airlines to cancel flights between August 28 and September 4 if fuel supply remained insufficient. However, the agency later revoked the ordinance on Monday as the country now has an adequate supply of jet fuel to support all scheduled flights.
Avianca CEO Federico Pedreira expressed surprise and satisfaction at the normalization of jet fuel supplies. He emphasized the importance of improved communication and coordination among supply chain members to anticipate and address such issues in the future.
