UK - Oil fire leads to plane pitstops!

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Source: BBC News

Oil fire leads to plane pitstops

Flights from Heathrow to Australia are having to make unscheduled stops at Stansted Airport to take on more fuel.
Qantas aircraft are refuelling at the Essex terminal because of rationing at Heathrow after the fire at Buncefield oil depot in Hemel Hempstead.

The depot is said to supply a third of the fuel for Heathrow. Some aircraft are only being allowed 40% of the fuel they would normally take on board. Tony Astle of airport company BAA said restrictions could last some weeks.

Fuel restrictions

Qantas said it was adding about an hour and half to journey times to the Far East and Australia to allow for the refuelling.

Mr Astle said: "Clearly the loss of one third of our fuel supply is having an impact on us but with the co-operation of all the airlines, Heathrow continues to operate normally.

"I think there will be fuel restrictions at Heathrow for possibly some weeks to come.

"Fuel demand at Heathrow is now approximately the same as the fuel that is being supplied into the airport, so the operations are unlikely to see any serious delays and the situation is improving hour by hour and day by day."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/e ... 534014.stm

Published: 2005/12/16 08:48:42 GMT

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