Services restored after delays: Passengers left waiting as Manchester Airport runs out of fuel

By Dean Wilkins

Passengers were delayed at Manchester Airport after airlines ran out of fuel this morning.

Thirteen flights due to leave the international airport were grounded as problems with the fuel supply from Liverpool halted departures.

Most delays lasted for around half an hour and stocks have now been replenished, but one flight to Tunisia was delayed for two-and-a-half hours.

An airport spokesman said: "We have got a very small number of delays first thing this morning while airlines wait for fuel to be back available on the airfield.

"Most of the flights are operating normally. There were no cancellations, no diversions, and most of the airlines have made contingency plans for fuel.

"There have been a small number of delays while airlines that have brought a single load of fuel wait for fuel at 8.30am.

"Fuel supplies have been completely restored, we are just waiting for the tanks to fill and then we will release it to the hydrants. Then it will be back to business as usual."

Production complications at their supplier, the Essar refinery, near Ellesmere Port, Merseyside, meant the airport didn't have enough aviation fuel.

Around three million litres of aviation fuel are used per day which arrives from the refinery via a pipeline which is capable of pumping 250,000 litres an hour.

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