Today I experienced something new as a passenger. After a ten hour flight the aircraft landed for its routine two hour refuel stop in the tropics. After re-boarding the aircraft we learnt that there was ice on the wings caused by the very cold fuel on board. After taking on more warm fuel and spending over half an hour circulating the fuel to warm the wing the engines were started up to aid the warming process. Unfortunately, due to its tropical location, there are no need to have de-icing facilities at this airport. After a short taxi to the holding point, another half hour or more was spent hoping the ice would melt it was decided to return to the apron to shut down........and attack the ice with a broom, something I have done in the past in a light twin, but would have thought this would be a bit hazardous on top of a large twin jet! The return to the apron moved the wings enough to free the ice and we were finally able to depart.
My question to those with the experience of large jet ops is whether or not this is a common occurrence? My thoughts were drawn to the Heathrow 777 of a few years back which (I believe) had fuel icing issues. could this have had the potential to be similar?