Up to 10 airports in US may shut down
 

At Least Ten U.S. Airports Face Closure Due to Jet Fuel Shortages Armbrust Aviation Group Press Release August 31, 2005… Airlines and oil companies are working on plans to supply jet fuel to at least ten U.S. airports that could be shut down due to a lack of jet fuel caused by refinery and pipeline shutdowns from hurricane Katrina. The airports in most jeopardy for closure include Atlanta, Charlotte, Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Orlando, Tampa, Washington Dulles and West Palm Beach.

AAG has learned that ChevronTexaco and Shell had cargoes loaded prior to the shutdowns destined for Florida ports. However, with the Colonial and Plantation pipelines shutdown due to a lost of power it could be sometime for shipments to reach airports from Atlanta to Washington D.C.

With future supply uncertain, airlines are working on plans to allocate jet fuel at critically short airports. “While some airports may have up to five days of supply we have to expect that we won’t receive additional shipments for some time. We either run down to flumes or we try to make it last as long as possible,” said one airline fuel manager. Today, airlines are working on plans to allocate fuel in hopes of extending available supply at problem locations.

Initial reports vary as to the extent of damage to Gulf Coast refining. But a longer term problem may not be refining infrastructure but providing shelter for refinery workers. “One of our refineries is scheduled to be back up soon but our real problem is finding housing for our workers. Most of their homes are destroyed or under water. Unless we can solve the housing problem we will not be fully operational for some time,” said one major oil company representative.



http://www.armbrustaviation.com/

I saw the pictures on TV like everybody else of the disaster zone which is the New Orleans/Gulf Coast area. I hope that none of the oil pipelines have ruptured which would cause pollutin adding to an already chaotic situation. This rumour of airport closures due to lack of Gas is really an unforseen side affect of this Hurricane which will do nothing to assist the reconstruction of that vast area which has been destroyed.

On another note were there many A/C's in New Orleans airport when the storm hit or did they get them out beforehand? Maybe some of our American Cousins will be able to shed some light on this

. . . Another Journo Wind up....?
 

Airports don't "shut down" because of jet fuel shortages. Not every airport necessarily has to be a "filling station" for every flight of every airline or general aviation customer.

Glue Ball

Tankering fuel in is a partial answer but it's just a stop gap. If the fuel isn't there at the airport, especially major hubs like ATL and IAD, most of the flying will grind to a halt and what fuel is left will be allocated to emergency relief efforts.

I truly hope this is journalistic excess. The consequences of a shutdown of several important airports would be severe.

Meanwhile, since I live near Atlanta I can tell you first hand that we're already out of gasoline. Nadda, zip, the pumps are empty.

Flying Mech

Can't give you any definitive answer, simply what I've seen on TV. There was extensive video of an unnamed airport. GA aircraft were slewn everywhere, some now simply lumps of metal, vaguely looking like their former shape. A lear was pretty well trashed, not good, most of airport still under water.

And I now hear your brilliant governor will solve the problem by - what? - imposing price controls?

:p

It seems that some US airports have been quite low on fuel stocks for some weeks; see thread below!

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...Fuel+shortages

This situation will be a further blow to already hard hit US airline companies and may cause the price of Jet Fuel to rocket still further. Ouch!

The local "authorities" have announced that the fuel tanks at Dulles KIAD and National KDCA are essentially full. That gives them roughly two weeks worth of fuel.

The FAA has come out saying that there will be NO fuel shortage at any of the main airports, one might surmise this to mean Class B and C at the very least, I know here in Ohio at our Class D we have no shortage although prices have of course gone up significantly.