El Dorado Airport disruption affects 109 flights in Bogotá

Disruption overview

Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport saw 109 flights delayed or canceled on 30 June 2026, with the disruption lasting from early morning into the afternoon peak. Avianca, LATAM Airlines, and Iberia were among the airlines affected as delays spread across Colombian domestic services, flights to Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, and routes to Mexico City International Airport. No single cause was confirmed, so passenger rights will depend on what triggered the disruption, but travelers may still be entitled to care and assistance, and some EU-bound passengers could qualify for up to €600 compensation under EC 261 if the cause was within airline control.

Disruption details

Flight operations at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá were heavily disrupted on 30 June 2026, with 109 flights delayed or canceled through the day. The problems began early and continued into the afternoon peak, putting pressure on one of Latin America’s busiest airports.

For passengers, this meant missed connections, long lines at service counters, and in some cases overnight stays when onward flights to Europe or North America left without them. Both domestic routes within Colombia and longer international services were caught up in the rolling backlog.

Flight-status data showed:

• 102 flights were delayed.

• 7 flights were canceled.

• Avianca, LATAM Airlines, and Iberia were among the airlines affected.

Avianca, which uses Bogotá as a major hub, appeared to absorb the largest share of the disruption. Delays hit long-haul departures as well as regional connections to secondary Colombian cities, making it harder for passengers to recover their journeys once schedules started slipping.

LATAM Airlines also saw significant delays on high-frequency domestic routes linking Bogotá with Cartagena, Cali, and Medellín, along with several services across northern South America. Iberia and other long-haul operators felt knock-on effects on flights between Bogotá and Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, while services to Mexico City International Airport were also held back.

Airport management said staff continued normal processing, but ground handling, gate availability, and passenger services were visibly stretched as the day went on. As late arrivals and departures built up, the disruption spread beyond a few isolated flights and started affecting the wider network.

No single trigger was confirmed in official statements. There was no clear indication of severe weather, a strike, or an IT outage. Instead, the disruption was described as operational strain at a busy high-altitude airport where a complex mix of traffic and already tight summer schedules can let even modest problems ripple quickly.

Long-haul flights were especially exposed. Full summer loads and tight aircraft rotations left airlines with fewer rebooking options once departures slipped, which helps explain why passengers on routes to Madrid, Mexico City, and other key hubs faced longer waits for alternatives.

Airlines put their usual disruption policies in place, including rebooking on the next available flight, offering refunds, or arranging alternative routings. But high call volumes and limited spare capacity meant solutions were not always quick, especially for travelers trying to reconnect onward the same day.

With peak-season demand still building, pressure on El Dorado’s operation may continue. If you’re due to travel through Bogotá, it’s worth leaving more time for connections and checking flight status closely, especially if your journey depends on an incoming aircraft from Madrid, Mexico City, or another busy hub.

If you were flying on Iberia, or on an Avianca service bound for Europe, your rights may depend on what caused the disruption. If the root cause is found to be within the airline’s control, passengers whose flights were canceled at short notice or arrived more than 3 hours late may be entitled to up to €600 compensation under EC 261.

If later information shows the disruption was caused by something outside the airline’s control, compensation may not apply. Even then, you should still be offered support during the disruption, which can include rebooking or a refund, food and drinks during a long wait, and accommodation if you were stranded overnight. If you’re unsure what applies to your journey, you can check your flight with AirHelp’s free flight checker.

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