Fuel Scarcity Hits Airlines As Passengers Suffer Delays, Cancellations
Passengers have been experiencing massive flight disruptions over scarcity of aviation fuel known as Jet A1, Daily Trust report.
Apart from the scarcity, the product also hit N440 per litre this week and there are indications the price could increase further in days ahead.
Our correspondent learnt that many airlines have been experiencing massive delays and cancellations in the last few days owing to the scarcity.
It was learnt that several flights were cancelled by airlines on Tuesday and Wednesday over the inability of airlines to get fuel.
This is coming at the same time Nigeria is experiencing a nationwide fuel for over a month.
An airline operator who spoke with our correspondent yesterday said the past few days had been traumatic for airlines in terms of getting fuel to power their aircraft.
“This is responsible for the delays and cancellations you have been experiencing. Now we are rationing fuel and it is also very expensive and we hope it doesn’t get to N450 or N500 in days to come,” an operator said.
However, one of the petroleum marketers who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity said it was not true that there is scarcity, noting that “the airlines know what to do.”
Pressed further on the issue, the source, an official of a major aviation fuel supplier, claimed that most of the airlines owed the marketers and so they decided to withhold supply.
However, the official said the increase in price is as a result of rise in foreign exchange and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
But an airline operator debunked the claim of indebtedness.