Airlines expect adjustments, not cancellations, as authorities restrict Jet A-1 supply for one week.

Ecuador’s aviation sector is moving into contingency mode after civil aviation authorities ordered a temporary 50% cut in Jet A-1 fuel supply, forcing airlines to rethink refueling strategies while officials await the arrival of imported fuel.

The restriction, announced through an official aviation alert, applies from March 21st through March 28th and affects airports across the country. The measure gives priority to medical evacuation, state, and emergency operations, while commercial carriers are being told to plan alternatives, including refueling at departure points or making stops elsewhere.

The warning follows mounting concern over fuel availability after the fire at the Esmeraldas refinery earlier this month, an incident that disrupted domestic production of aviation fuel and left the country relying on dwindling reserves.

Refinery fire triggers supply pressure

The supply problem traces back to March 1st, when a diesel leak sparked a fire at the Esmeraldas refinery, Ecuador’s main source of Jet A-1. Although the refinery resumed operations on March 16th, it did so at less than 40% of capacity, leaving output too low to quickly rebuild fuel stocks.

That shortfall led the General Directorate of Civil Aviation to intervene with a system-wide restriction aimed at preserving what remained of the country’s aviation fuel reserves.

Petroecuador said a fuel shipment was expected to arrive on March 21st, offering hope that the restriction could remain a temporary disruption rather than develop into a broader operational crisis. According to state oil company records, Ecuador had not imported Jet A-1 earlier this year. In 2025, imports of that fuel totaled $78.6 million.

Reports from Petroecuador indicated the country had enough jet fuel for only four or five days after the refinery emergency, underscoring the urgency behind the aviation alert.

Airlines prepare workarounds

Despite the seriousness of the notice, airlines and airport operators say they are not expecting widespread suspensions of service.

Carriers are instead preparing to adapt flight planning. For long-haul routes, particularly those bound for Europe, the United States, and Chile, airlines may schedule intermediate refueling stops to avoid depending entirely on Ecuadorian supply.

Shorter international routes, including flights to Bogotá, Panama, and Lima, are expected to face fewer complications because aircraft on those runs can often fuel at their points of origin. Domestic flights are also expected to continue, with industry representatives saying cancellations are not currently anticipated.

That distinction has helped calm fears of an immediate breakdown in service, even as operators remain watchful for any delay in imported fuel deliveries or further production setbacks at Esmeraldas.

Airports report normal operations for now

Airport operators say flights are continuing under normal conditions for the moment.

Quiport, which manages Quito’s airport, said there had been no operational changes and that the terminal had maintained its usual five-day fuel stock. It also said shipments had continued arriving normally, while noting that airlines themselves are responsible for adjusting operations in line with the civil aviation order.

The capital’s airport handles about 150 passenger and cargo flight movements each day, counting arrivals and departures, while Guayaquil records about 104 daily movements. Those numbers make fuel planning especially important during a week of constrained supply.

Global tensions add to market strain

Although Ecuador’s immediate shortage is tied to the Esmeraldas refinery fire, the situation is unfolding against a tense international energy backdrop. Jet fuel tightness has also been reported in parts of Europe and Asia amid disruptions linked to the war in the Middle East, adding pressure to already volatile supply chains.

That broader instability has sharpened concern over how vulnerable Ecuador’s aviation sector can become when local refining problems coincide with turbulence in global fuel markets.

For now, the industry’s expectation is that imported fuel and partial refinery output will be enough to keep aircraft moving, even if some flights leave with altered refueling plans and tighter operating margins than usual.