Colombian airlines face fuel shortages, many flights forced to ground — MercoPress

Colombian airlines grounded due to fuel shortage

Jet fuel shortages have caused airlines operating in Colombia to reschedule flights. The problem was reportedly caused by an electrical failure at the Cartagena refinery on August 16.

Avianca had to cancel 26 flights in Valledupar between August 26 and September 2, and this week only has one flight per day between Bogota and Cartagena, on Thursday and Friday. In addition, ticket sales between Bogota and San Andrés were canceled for a whole week, among other irregularities.

“We recommend that you check with your airline for flight status,” a sign at Medellin airport reads. Avianca also announced in a statement that “some flights will be temporarily suspended” due to a shortage of jet fuel in the country. “Right now, our priority is to protect passengers and their flight plans, and to maintain connectivity. That is why we seek mechanisms to minimize the impact of this situation on operations. This situation shows that players in the supply chain need better forecasting and coordination to have a clear understanding of inventory and fuel availability,” the company added.

Other airlines such as Easyfly are adjusting to normal flights despite a 50% increase in airfares.

However, President Gustavo Petro insisted that there was no shortage of aviation fuel in X. He argued: “There was irregular activity and it is currently under investigation.”

“Until yesterday, we had no reports of flight cancellations due to fuel,” said Transport Minister María Constanza García. She acknowledged that some airlines were not selling tickets to certain destinations out of caution. According to the minister, fuel stocks at airports are being closely monitored to minimize losses. She also noted that operations at Bogotá’s El Dorado airport will be guaranteed for the next five days.

The fuel crisis became public when Colombian airline LATAM reported that Leticia, Monteria and Bucaramanga were out of fuel, while fuel levels in Bogota had dropped to dangerously low levels. The August 16 power failure at the Cartagena refinery was expected to result in a 5% reduction in jet fuel deliveries in the country. However, state-run Petroleos de Colombia claimed that operations at the Cartagena refinery were not affected. Despite this, Petroleos de Colombia imported an additional 100,000 barrels of jet fuel that will be transported in the country later this week.

Meanwhile, LATAM is refueling its international flights outside Colombia and has adjusted operations accordingly, resulting in 36 cancellations on Tuesday. LATAM CEO Santiago Álvarez explained that the airline will continue to monitor the fuel supply situation and make the necessary adjustments to its flight schedule. Passengers affected by the cancellations can reschedule their flights, change their flights within up to one year, or request a refund.