A refueling problem that caused mass cancellations and flight delays at Perth Airport has now been resolved.
A spokesman told NewsWire that the airport had “experienced a significant issue with the fuel supply system which is having a significant impact on flight operations.”
“The problem has resulted in a loss of pressure in the tank system,” they said.
About 70 of the airport’s scheduled domestic and international flights were cancelled.
It is assumed that the refueling problem has now been resolved.
“We would like to thank both passengers and our airline partners again for their patience and understanding.”
Other major airports across the country are also affected by the refueling problem. A spokesman for Melbourne Airport said eight flights had to be cancelled.
“Four domestic flights and four departure flights were cancelled,” it said.
Eleven domestic flights were cancelled in Sydney and five in Brisbane.
In Adelaide, a Jetstar flight from Adelaide to Perth, originally scheduled to depart at 3pm, was cancelled; the airline’s flight from Perth to Adelaide, scheduled for 10.10pm, was also cancelled.
Delays were expected on Virgin and Qantas flights on Saturday. Adelaide Airport recommended travelers heading to Perth to check with their airlines for the latest flight details.
Speaking in WA on Saturday, Veterans Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said he understood passengers were frustrated by the chaos.
“First and foremost, I feel for the passengers because any time you are caught in the chaos of an airport, it is extremely stressful,” he said.
“People are trying to get around the country and our state and we know how important Perth Airport is to the economic lifeline of Western Australia, even with such a large FIFO workforce, so I feel for the passengers.”
The airport apologized to passengers for the inconvenience caused and asked them to contact their airlines for further information on the status of their flight.
Travelers affected by the chaos took to social media to voice their frustration, with one person saying they had been waiting “since midnight.”
“Stuck at Perth airport since midnight waiting for my flight to depart – it’s ridiculous they don’t have a plan B for the fuel issues,” posted traveler Natalie Forrest on X, formerly Twitter.
“Still here, almost 12 hours on the road now and 4 more hours to go (maybe?),” wrote another person.
“Can anyone at Perth airport pop down to their local BP?” one person tweeted.
