Fuel issues at the
—the new gateway to the Peruvian capital, Lima— led to the cancellation of several domestic flights on Monday, prompting an emergency meeting in the afternoon between representatives of Lima Airport Partners (LAP) and other institutions involved in the operation of the new terminal.
Via social media,
LAP announced that its representatives were meeting with officials from the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC), airlines, and other authorities to assess possible solutions to the issue, which has disrupted the departure of several passengers.
By early afternoon, numerous passengers reported that their flights had been rescheduled or canceled without further explanation.
As the hours went by, they were informed that the reason for the changes was a fuel shortage affecting the aircraft. Flights to the Peruvian cities Trujillo, Ayacucho, and Arequipa—all operated by Latam—were canceled.
As part of the assessment of the first day of operations at the new Jorge Chavez Airport, the institution reported that it had identified the need to speed up processes considered key to the terminal's proper functioning, including fuel management.
"One issue that remains a concern is the proper distribution of aircraft fuel. Today, we have seen that this service—which should be supplied efficiently and dynamically—has been overwhelmed by the simultaneous operations at the new terminal, resulting in delays of up to three (3) hours for several flights and cancellations," it stated.
The AETA detailed that, despite the aviation community's utmost efforts, "there is a need to improve the efficiency of immigration procedures and security checks, which are becoming overwhelmed during peak hours, directly impacting the scheduled time passengers have to complete the necessary procedures before boarding their flights."
They also reiterated the importance of strengthening service protocols and optimizing processes to provide a better experience in the new facilities of the Lima Hub.