Nearly 60 flights were canceled at a major Australian airport due to a refueling issue that has since been resolved but has caused chaos and a major delay.
Travelers heading to or departing Perth Airport were left in limbo due to a fueling pressure issue in the supply system that prevented planes from being able to refuel.
Perth Airport announced on Saturday afternoon that the issue had been resolved with the help of external experts.
“We will continue to closely monitor the situation in case any new issues arise,” a spokesperson said in a statement Saturday.
The spokesperson said 59 domestic and international flights had 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 at Karratha in northern WA.
Many uncomfortable passengers expressed anger at the lack of communication.
Perth Airport’s website shows there are still dozens of domestic and international flights delayed.
Many uncomfortable passengers expressed 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 were not informed that their flight had been canceled until 9am on Saturday morning.
They told The West Australian the miscommunication and confusion was “absolutely chaotic”.
“We are going to sleep in our car, because we don’t know when the plane we are apparently booked on will take off, nor have we got our luggage back, so we are trying to find out at the moment,” Mr Davies said.
Tess Bullock and Malik Winnett had their flights to Bali cancelled.
‘We are upset because we have granted work permission for this. It’s cutting our vacation short.
“We’re losing a couple of hundred in boarding, we’ve put our dog in a kennel,” Mrs Bullock said.
Another passenger said they received no communication 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 flight backlogs and help passengers reach their destinations.
“We again thank passengers and our airline partners for their patience and understanding,” the spokesperson said.
Perth Airport’s website shows there are still dozens of domestic and international flights delayed.
Qantas issued an update earlier on Saturday to its travelers explaining that the cancellations and delays were due to no fuel being available for any grounded aircraft 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 are being contacted directly and all travelers are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Travelers are warned to check the status of their flight before heading to the airport.
Federal Minister Matt Keogh expressed frustration for passengers and said it was a “very stressful” situation.
“First of all, I feel sorry for the passengers, because when you get caught up in the 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.