Auckland flight cancellations persist with fuel troubles at airport

Air New Zealand estimated 2,000 of its customers were affected yesterday

Flights continue to be rerouted and cancelled at Auckland Airport, which faces a fuel shortage after an oil pipeline to the airport was ruptured in Ruakaka, Northland last weekend.

Due to the fuel crisis, the limit on jet fuel that can be uplifted is now 30 per cent of normal usage, according to Air New Zealand.

Air New Zealand estimated 2,000 of its customers were affected yesterday

On Saturday and Sunday, a total of about 27 domestic and international flights departing Auckland Airport were cancelled, according to a statement from the airport. And at Air New Zealand, about 2,000 customers were expected to be affected on Monday alone.

The national carrier announced flight cancellations over the next couple of days to be as follows:

Air New Zealand cancellations, accurate as of Monday evening

Air New Zealand said yesterday afternoon that it was temporarily grounding some domestic and Tasman services to consolidate passenger loads; ensuring domestic jet services uplift maximum fuel limits when operating out of Wellington or Christchurch to reduce fuel requirements at Auckland; and requiring some longhaul services to and from Asia and North America to stop for refuelling at selected Pacific or Australian airports.

At Emirates, the daily flight (ED449) from Auckland to Dubai was rerouted via Christchurch for refuelling over the weekend. From September 18 – 24, ED449 will operate via Melbourne, departing Auckland at 20.30 for arrival in Melbourne at 22.40. It then leaves Melbourne at 00.25, arriving in Dubai at 08.30.

The gulf airline advises that passengers with onward connections during this time contact their local Emirates office and check the status of their flight. Connecting flights will be rebooked as required.

Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines announced that its Auckland-Singapore flight (SQ286) on September 20 and 21 will require a stop in Sydney to refuel. Customers who miss connecting flights will be rebooked on the next available connecting flight from Singapore. SQ286, originally due to arrive in Singapore at 19.00, is now expected to arrive at 20.10 on September 20 and 21.

Auckland Airport chief executive Littlewood commented that the airport was working closely with airlines and other airport stakeholders, including the Board of Airlines Representatives New Zealand, to monitor the impact of the disruption.

“We will have additional staff in the terminals supporting passengers and addressing any questions or concerns they may have. We strongly recommend that any passengers travelling over the coming days plan ahead and check with their airline for the latest information.”

According to a statement issued by the New Zealand Labour Party, the security of fuel supply in Auckland has been a concern for years, particularly where it concerns jet fuel to Auckland Airport. “And they have only got worse (over the year) as the city grows and air traffic expands,” the statement read.

Calls made in 2012 for the government to help establish a new fuel storage facility in west Auckland and for the Wiri terminal to be turned into jet fuel facility were not taken up. The labour party quoted the reasoning given in a 2012 Cabinet paper to be the large capital investment, estimated at an upfront cost of NZ$57 million (US$41.6 million).

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