BOGOTA, Colombia -- The Colombian airlines Avianca and Latam Colombia said late Monday they will operate most of their flights Tuesday and resume full schedules Wednesday, after warning earlier they would have to cancel dozens of flights due to shortages of jet fuel.

Avianca reported that they had received confirmation from the nation's primary jet fuel supplier that there would be no further restrictions on the amount of fuel provided to airlines. They stated that this allowed them to resume ticket sales for all their routes and maintain their planned flight schedules.

Latam Colombia stated that they would resume regular operations on Wednesday and that passengers whose Tuesday flights were canceled had been assigned to alternative flights on the same day. Latam had previously declared on Monday that they were canceling 36 flights for Tuesday due to fuel shortages.

The late announcements by the airlines, which transport more than 70% of Colombia's domestic passengers, concluded a day of turmoil for Colombia's aviation sector, leaving hundreds of passengers grounded and others scrambling to reschedule their flights.

On Sunday, Colombia's national oil company, Ecopetrol, announced the importation of 100,000 barrels of jet fuel to ensure domestic airline supplies after carriers voiced concerns regarding insufficient fuel provision by suppliers.

The crisis arose after a power outage on August 16 disrupted the local production of jet fuel at an Ecopetrol refinery in Cartagena. In a letter addressed to airlines on August 21, local fuel supplier Terpel informed them that the disruption would necessitate a reduction in fuel sales at airports across the country.

On Monday, Ecopetrol CEO Ricardo Roa declared that jet fuel production had been restored and criticized fuel distributors for inadequate fuel imports to meet the rising demand.

President Gustavo Petro stated on his X account that there was no shortage of jet fuel in the country, but an “irregular situation” which is “under investigation.” Transportation Minister María Constanza García affirmed the availability of sufficient jet fuel, but acknowledged “logistical” challenges at airports.

The aviation authority had issued a directive on Sunday allowing airlines to cancel flights between August 28 and September 4 if fuel was unavailable. However, late Monday, the agency revoked the order, stating that enough jet fuel was now available to maintain all scheduled flights.

Avianca CEO Federico Pedreira expressed surprise and satisfaction on Monday evening when he learned that jet fuel supplies had stabilized.

“However, this situation demonstrates the need for members of the supply chain to anticipate potential issues and communicate effectively with each other, ensuring greater transparency regarding inventories and fuel availability," Pedreira remarked.