Nearly 60 flights were canceled at a major Australian airport due to a refueling problem that has now been resolved but has caused chaos with a large backlog.
Travelers heading to or departing from Perth Airport were left in limbo due to a fuel pressure issue in the supply system, which prevented planes from being refuelled.
Perth Airport announced on Saturday afternoon that the problem had been resolved with the help of external experts.
“We will continue to monitor the situation closely if there are any further issues,” a spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday.
The spokesperson said 59 domestic and international flights have been canceled due to the operational problem.
Some of the canceled flights include departures to Sydney, Darwin, Brisbane, Kuala Lumpur and Bali, and arrivals from the same locations.
Some flights were diverted to other airports, including a flight from London that was forced to land in Karratha in northern WA.
Many inconvenienced passengers expressed their anger at the lack of communication
Perth Airport’s website says there are still dozens of delayed international and domestic flights
Many inconvenienced passengers expressed their anger at the lack of communication.
Tom and Migs Davies had been at the airport since 11pm on Friday, ready to board their 2am flight to Singapore.
The couple was only told at 9am on Saturday morning that their flight had been cancelled.
They told The West Australian the lack of communication and confusion was “absolutely shabby”.
“We’re going to sleep in our car because we don’t know when the plane we’re apparently booked on is going to leave, we don’t have our luggage back either, so we’re trying to find out at the moment,” Mr Davies said.
Tess Bullock and Malik Winnett had their flights to Bali canceled.
‘We are irritated that we have taken work leave for this. It shortens our vacation.”
“We’re losing a few hundred euros on accommodation, we’ve put our dog in a kennel,” Ms Bullock said.
Another passenger said they had not received any notice about their canceled flight: “We got our kids out of bed in the middle of the night… but it is what it is, what can you do?”
The airport said it would work with airlines to clear the backlog of flights so passengers could reach their destinations.
“We once again thank both passengers and our airline partners for their patience and understanding,” the spokesperson said.
Perth Airport’s website shows there are still dozens of delayed international and domestic flights.
Qantas issued an update to its travelers earlier on Saturday explaining that the cancellations and delays were due to fuel not being available for aircraft on the ground at the airport.
“We are in constant contact with Perth Airport for updates and are working hard to find an interim solution to get customers on their way as quickly as possible,” the airline said in a statement.
Affected customers will be contacted directly and all travelers are warned to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Travelers are warned to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Federal Minister Matt Keogh expressed frustration for passengers, saying it is a “very stressful” situation.
“First and foremost, I sympathize with the passengers because when someone has to deal with chaos at an airport, it is very stressful,” he told reporters on Saturday.
Passengers departing Perth on Saturday are urged to contact their airline for more information about their flights.
The airport spokesperson apologized to travelers and airlines for the significant impact.
“We understand this has been a difficult and frustrating morning for passengers and our airline partners,” the spokesperson said.