With a shortage of fuel in Sri Lanka, foreign carriers have been advised to come ready.
The economic crisis in Sri Lanka has severely hit its fuel supply, to the point where the country is now requesting all foreign airlines to carry enough fuel for a return trip. The recommendation comes as the island nation struggles with a severe fuel shortage, which has affected aviation and most other sectors in the country.
International airlines have been asked by Sri Lanka’s Civil Aviation Authority
International airlines have been asked by Sri Lanka’s Civil Aviation Authority to load up on extra fuel before departing for Colombo. This is to ensure there is enough supply in the tanks to last for the return trip out of the country.
How the country’s national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines is forced to make a detour to South India to meet its fuel needs for some of its long-haul flights to Europe and Australia. It seems that other carriers, too, will now have to make their deals.
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Sri Lanka’s Civil Aviation Authority
Rayhan Wanniappa, director of Sri Lanka’s Civil Aviation Authority, spoke with Bloomberg and explained the situation, saying,
“We’ve asked airlines to carry the needed fuel while working to Sri Lanka, because there is a lack of aviation fuel, and we have to handle the situation. Airlines are bringing certain additional supplies, while we are also providing from our stock
Fuel tankering or refueling, whatever works! Airlines flying into Sri Lanka have two choices – begin with enough fuel in the tanks sufficient to come back or stop in a third country to refuel for the onward flight. Bloomberg reports that Emirates is resorting to tankering fuel from Dubai, while Singapore Airlines, too, is carrying more fuel than needed for its flights to the country.
Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai
SriLankan Airlines, unfortunately, doesn’t have that option. For some of its long-haul flights, the carrier has chosen South Indian cities, such as Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai, or even Dubai as refueling destinations.
Some sources have told that Sri Lankan prefers Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai as it’s a shorter flight and also charges slightly less for fuel. The carrier has already used the city to refuel its flights to Melbourne and Frankfurt and has further confirmed that four more flights will stop there in the coming days.
G.A. Chandrasiri, chairman of the Airport and Aviation Services
Sri Lanka is struggling to reach up with cash to pay for oil. The country is facing shortages of some necessities such as electricity and facing massive inflation. As such, fuel for aircraft doesn’t seem very high on the list of priorities.
However, G.A. Chandrasiri, chairman of the Airport and Aviation Services, which manages the main airport in Colombo, maintains that “there’s been no effect in airport and airline operations” and that “this is just a preventive measure.”Still, airlines have been instructed to err on the side of caution to avoid fuel-related delays in Colombo.
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