Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) reports of growing demand for jet fuel from airlines.
The company which had facilitated 10,000 liters of jet fuel to airlines on a daily basis has been refueling 40,000 liters of jet fuel to planes daily, according to MACL’s Deputy Managing Director Mr. Ibrahim Thoha.
Thoha had further highlighted on the expected challenges MACL may face in providing fuel to airlines at such conditions.
“All return flights from Sri Lanka are landing here [VIA] for refueling while some of these planes are refueling at extensive capacities. The demand has exponentially rise, which is a challenge for us,” Thoha claimed.
The degradation of the political and economic conditions in Sri Lanka has resulted in fuel scarcity for the country due to which its airports have ceased refueling operations.
Due to this move, airlines opt for making refueling pit stops in Maldives, which is the closest alternative in the area.
While MACL affirms its non-discriminatory facilitation of refueling services for all airlines, it had however confirmed of placing strict limitations on refueling services.
According to Mr. Mahjoob Shujau, the Managing Director of MACL, this decision was necessary to avoid airlines from acquiring fuel beyond the required amount; which may pose issues of fuel not being distributed proportionally for all the flights requiring refueling.
Meanwhile, the airport venue was experiencing a delay in jet fuel restocking as well, which as per the Managing Director of State Trading Organization – the primary fuel supplier to the airport company – Mr. Hussain Amru, was due to the demand exceeding originally placed order.
In addition to this, Mr. Amru noted that as per purchasing policies, orders for fuel need to be made one month in prior.