Owais Crawford
In 2020, Colombia's aviation industry was preparing to restart after being heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The country's Transportation Minister, Angela Orozco, announced that Colombia's airports would reopen to international flights on 1 September 2020, with domestic flights expected to resume on 1 July 2020. This move was highly anticipated by the IATA (International Air Transport Association), who recognised the significant contribution of the aviation industry to Colombia's economy. In 2023, Colombia lifted one of Latin America's longest lockdowns, and airports in Bogota, Cartagena, and Medellin reopened for commercial flights.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of reopening | 1st September 2020 |
| Number of airports reopening | 15 |
| Airports included | Bogota's El Dorado Airport (BOG), José María Córdova airport (MDE), Santiago Pérez Quiróz Airport in Arauca |
| Airlines | Panamericana Airlines, Avianca Holdings, LATAM, LATAM Argentina |
| Conditions | Dependent on other countries opening their airports |
| Type of flights | Domestic and international |
| Safety measures | Biosafety protocols, limiting the number of people at establishments or churches |
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What You'll Learn
International flights to resume from September 1, 2020
The Colombian aviation industry was preparing to restart in September 2020 after being severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez announced that 15 airports, including Bogota’s El Dorado Airport (BOG), would reopen in September. This was highly anticipated by the IATA (International Air Transport Association), who had been pushing for airports to reopen to stimulate economic development in the region. Before the COVID-19 crisis, aviation generated around $7.5 billion for the Colombian economy, equivalent to 2.5% of the country's GDP, and supported about 600,000 jobs.
The Colombian Transportation Minister, Ángela María Orozco, stated that international air operations would restart on September 1, 2020, but this was dependent on other countries opening their airports. The Colombian Civil Aviation director, Juan Carlos Salazar, acknowledged that the reactivation of flights would be a slow process due to carriers' logistics, ticket sales, and itinerary organisation.
Despite concerns about increasing COVID-19 transmissions, Colombian authorities approved biosafety protocols to prevent possible transmissions. The IATA expressed confidence in the safeguards put in place by airlines, believing they would be sufficient to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through air travel.
In addition to the reopening of airports, a new Colombian cargo airline, Panamericana Airlines, announced it would begin operations in the second half of August 2020, offering international services to Miami and Caracas. This new airline was expected to create around 300 jobs by the end of the year and provide faster shipment connections for large companies based in Barranquilla.
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Domestic flights to resume from July 1, 2020
On June 10, 2020, President Iván Duque announced that domestic flights and inter-municipal transport would resume in Colombia from July 1, 2020. This came as part of a pilot plan to gradually restore national transport. The first flight to reactivate domestic flights was between Bucaramanga and Cúcuta on July 21, 2020.
The resumption of domestic flights was part of a wider reopening of the Colombian economy. The country had been under one of Latin America's longest lockdowns, with a sanitary emergency in place until August 31, 2020. The aviation industry was particularly keen to restart operations, as it generated US$7.5 billion for the Colombian economy before the pandemic.
The Colombian government approved biosafety protocols to protect against COVID-19 transmissions. These protocols were deemed sufficient by the IATA (International Air Transport Association), who had been pushing for airports to reopen to stimulate economic development.
International flights to Colombia were expected to resume from September 1, 2020, although this was dependent on other countries reopening their airports.
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Bogota's El Dorado airport to operate domestic flights
Bogota's El Dorado International Airport is the largest airport in Colombia, located in the west of the city. It is the country's most important hub, with most international flights landing and taking off from there. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the airport served around 30 million passengers annually, with 42 airlines operating from the airport, including 21 international, 6 domestic, and 15 cargo airlines.
In August 2020, Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez announced plans to reopen 15 airports, including El Dorado Airport, in September of that year. This decision was made to stimulate economic development and support the aviation industry, which had been severely impacted by the pandemic.
El Dorado International Airport has two terminals. Terminal 2, inaugurated in October 2014, features a revamped food plaza, retail stores, and ATMs. The airport has a wide range of services and facilities to make passengers' time there productive and pleasant.
As of April 2025, 30 airlines were operating flights from Bogota to 114 destinations worldwide. The route with the most departures is to Medellin (MDE), with an average of 320 flights weekly. The top international destinations are Panama City (PTY) and Lima (LIM). The airport also offers direct flights to Frankfurt (FRA) and Paris (CDG).
In 2023, plans were announced to double the airport's capacity to accommodate 60 million passengers by 2025, with a new project called El Dorado Máximo Desarrollo (EDMAX or El Dorado Max).
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New cargo airline, Panamericana Airlines, to begin operations
In August 2020, it was announced that Panamericana Airlines, a new Colombian cargo airline, would begin operations in the second half of the month. The airline, founded in Barranquilla under the direction of Thomas Friese, planned to offer its first international services to Miami and Caracas. Ronald Peña, the Expansion Manager of Panamericana Airlines, stated that the carrier's operational base would be Barranquilla, taking advantage of the city's geographical conditions to save fuel and increase cargo transport capacity.
The opening of Panamericana Airlines created more than 30 direct jobs, with the company planning to generate around 300 more jobs by the end of the year. The airline's service platform includes air cargo transport, air courier, ground logistics, and customs management. According to its website, Panamericana Airlines will utilise six freighter aircraft: three Boeing 747-400, two 757-200, and one 777. These aircraft are leased by the carrier.
The airline will provide services connecting Colombia with other countries in America, Europe, and Asia, facilitating shipment transportation by charter or courier. This development comes as the Colombian aviation industry prepares to restart, with President Iván Duque Márquez announcing the reopening of 15 airports in September 2020, including Bogota's El Dorado Airport. The move aims to stimulate economic development and support the region's aviation industry, which has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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COVID-19 safety measures and protocols to be implemented
In 2020, Colombia's government announced that the country's airports would reopen to international flights beginning on September 1. This came after the Colombian aviation industry was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with companies like LATAM and Avianca Holdings filing for bankruptcy.
To ensure the safe reopening of airports, Colombia implemented several COVID-19 safety measures and protocols. These included:
- Strict adherence to biosafety protocols: Airports were inspected by technical teams of experts in biosecurity protocols and air operations to ensure compliance with established standards.
- Gradual resumption of flights: The process of restarting flights was slow and gradual, with domestic flights resuming first in July 2020, followed by international flights in September. This allowed authorities to monitor demand and respond efficiently while managing the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
- Implementation of health guidelines: Airports and airlines followed health guidelines, such as requiring negative coronavirus test results for tourists travelling to certain destinations, limiting the number of people in establishments, and banning gatherings of more than 50 people.
- Enhanced safety measures: Airports and airlines implemented additional safety measures, such as social distancing, increased sanitation, and the mandatory use of face masks, to minimise the risk of virus transmission.
- Monitoring and enforcement: Colombia's government enforced compliance with sanitary measures through penalties under Article 368 of the Penal Code, which included imprisonment and fines for those who violated the established protocols.
- Collaboration with local leaders: President Iván Duque emphasised the importance of working with local leaders to ensure a responsible and gradual restoration of transportation services, including air travel.
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Frequently asked questions
Colombia's airports reopened to international flights on 1 September 2020.
No, domestic flights resumed earlier, on 1 July 2020.
Biosafety protocols were approved by the Colombian authorities to protect against possible transmissions.
The Latin American commercial aviation industry was one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Colombian aviation industry was responsible for 2.7% of the country's GDP before the crisis, so reopening airports was a vital measure to stimulate economic development in the region.
