Japan air fuel supplies running low
The International Air Transport Association said this week that fuel supplies are running low in Japanese airports.
IATA said the twin disasters that struck northern Japan March 11 have left airports with less than 10 days worth of supply, leading airlines to rearrange their refueling schedules to avoid having to fill up in Japan.
The association has suggested airlines operating short-haul routes to Japan carry enough fuel for the return leg from Japan. Some airlines operating long-haul routes have said they will refuel elsewhere, according to a report by CargonewsAsia.
'Aircraft usually carry enough fuel to get to their destination and then fill up again, but that's no longer an option and airlines are now flying with extra fuel so they can reduce their uptake in Japan,' IATA spokesman Tony Concil told Bloomberg.
If the situation doesn't improve, IATA said it has briefed airlines on rationing plans, while some airlines are reportedly 'tankering,' where planes carry extra fuel and leave excess to top up supplies.
Japan air fuel supplies running low