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Jet Fuel Shortage Eases At Melbourne Airport

Travel plans of thousands were in upheaval.
A fuel shortage is impacting flights scheduled to land at Melbourne Airport.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A fuel shortage is impacting flights scheduled to land at Melbourne Airport.

Airlines are reporting no delays as jet fuel shortages are expected to ease after supply has resumed to Melbourne airport. Saturday morning travel plans had been thrown into disarray, and forced some international flights to be redirected to other Australian capitals.

The shortage, which is causing fuel to be rationed, has already resulted in travel plans being upended for thousands of international passengers since Friday, SBS reports.

The issue arose after disruptions to jet fuel deliveries from terminals across Melbourne in recent weeks: https://t.co/0xx1n00Qvt#9Newspic.twitter.com/AlSrc6TSCx

The major shortage is expected to cause more delays later on Saturday after what's been termed travel "chaos" over the past 24 hours.

A Melbourne Airport spokesman told The Huffington Post Australia that the fuel shortage had not abated and that more delays were possible on Saturday. He urged travelers to check with their airlines for the latest information on flights.

According to SBS, airlines have been trying to compensate by bringing more fuel that usual into Melbourne so they only need to add a small amount before departure.

The fuel shortage, which has resulted in less than 2 million litres of fuel being on hand at the airport, is due to a shipment of imported fuel failing strict quality controls, the ABC reports.

Transport Minister Darren Chester said those involved were working on a quick fix.

"I have been advised by my Department that the airlines and fuel suppliers are working together to resolve the matter as quickly as possible," Chester said in a statement.

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