KMCO Suffers Diminished Fuel Supply Due to Inclement Weather

After a bout of poor weather throughout the Gulf of Mexico, reserve stocks of jet-A at Orlando International Airport are lower than usual, with supplies shipped in by truck until the gulf-based pipelines can resume normal delivery. 

Once the incipient shortage was noted, airport staff began advising inbound flights to tank up with enough extra fuel just to be sure. Orlando International faces some different issues in obtaining fuel outside of its regular deliveries, given its inland position compared to the bevy of coastal airports. While others in the region can refuel with tankers and pipelines, MCO must truck them in, one load at a time, making for much slower going than turning a pipeline back on. 

KORD staff Carolyn Fennel affirmed that the airport is not without fuel, and is being constantly delivered by ground. Spirit Airlines, the second busiest carrier operating out of the field, said they've been managing just fine, with spokesman Erik Hofmeyer saying everything is "business as usual for scheduled service" so far. 

While Fennel had promised early on that things would quickly return to normal, a handful of operators lengthened their layovers at other fields, or delayed some flights as they began working around the issue. Aside from a few niggles, however, everything seems to be right on track once again. 

FMI: www.orlandoairports.net