ORLANDO, Fla. — Jet fuel is en route to the Orlando International Airport after airport officials confirmed Sunday night that its fuel reserves were lower than they would like.
They blamed weather in the Louisiana Gulf coast region for ships being unable to leave the port until Sunday.
Airport officials reiterate there is no shortage concern right now. However, some airlines have altered plans to add layovers to fuel up, adding to the holiday season stress for travelers.
Ops Update: Weather issues along the Gulf Coast had prevented reserve supply delivery of jet fuel at MCO. The weather has lifted and ships have departed. If flight disruptions occur, airline contingency plans are currently in place. Thank you for your patience.
— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) December 11, 2022
Hi, Kat. You're welcome to reach out to your airline in regards to your specific flight, but disruptions are minimal at this time, with some airlines adding a refuel stop along the way if needed.
— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) December 11, 2022
Sunday night, airport officials said they asked airlines to make sure they have additional fuel on incoming flights to minimize how much fuel the airport has to give airlines for outgoing flights.
Airport officials did not give a timeline for when the fuel will arrive.
In a statement to Spectrum News 13, airport officials said, "The airport is not out of fuel, but reserves are less than what the airport usually has on hand. The fuel supply issue is being monitored and contingency plans are in place to lessen any impact on operations."
A group of seven traveling to Detroit said their flight was delayed 3 times on Monday evening.
“I just want a safe trip back to Detroit so I can get back to my family and my home. I tell you it is very frustrating,” explained Chrystal Holmes who was visiting Orlando from Detroit.
Chrystal and 6 others in her group were scheduled to fly out of Orlando at 8:55 PM on Monday on a Spirit flight. However, after multiple time changes the group isn’t even sure they will be flying out. Chrystal’s husband who flew out a day early on Sunday ran into a similar issue with his delayed flight.
Although the group isn’t sure that the fuel shortage is the problem, they just want to know why.
“Our problem is I like communication. Just let us know what is going on. Why was my flight delayed, why am I sitting on the runway? Just let me know what is going on,” added Chiquita Nabor who is traveling back to Detroit with Chrystal.
Spirit Airlines did not respond to a request for comment, but other airlines tell Spectrum News 13 their flights were recently impacted.
Officials with United Airlines sent Spectrum News 13 the following statement that reads in part, “Because of a shortage of fuel in Orlando that impacted multiple airlines, we added planned fuel stops on Sunday and Monday for a few flights from Orlando. We expect to operate our full schedule to get our customers to their destinations as planned.”
Delta officials tell us in part they are allowing customers to, “move existing booked travel to a later date without facing a difference in fare.”
While passengers are frustrated about not knowing why their flight keeps getting pushed back, they believe getting to the airport early to try and sort things out is best.
“Come very early and be prepared to make adjustments on the fly, unfortunately. This is the time where you are supposed to kind of coast back into your everyday life,” said Douglas Nabor who is traveling home to Detroit with Chrystal and Chiquita. “Unfortunately, it kind of gets kind of stressful when you don’t know what is going on.”
As we approach the busy holiday travel season, AAA projections show air will see a 14% increase this year, compared to 2021.