Heathrow has requested airlines carry extra fuel to, and take less from, Britain’s busiest airport due to supply issues.
Via a notice sent on Sunday, the airport have requested airlines aim to reduce the amount of fuel they get from Heathrow between Sunday, July 23 and Monday 31 due to constrained supply.
Though Heathrow did not point to any specific causes of the issue, the airport did reassure that passengers and flights would remain unaffected.
“The airport has sufficient fuel supplies and passengers can be reassured that their flights will continue to operate as normal,” a spokesperson said.
Both trucks and a pipeline supply the airport, with the latter connected directly to the UK’s largest refinery in Southampton, operated by Exxon Mobil.
Overfuelling aircraft is a common but scrutinised practice among the aviation industry, since it can save costs by allowing operators to fill up at cheaper locations but also increases carbon emissions from flights.
Heathrow’s main operator British Airways was exposed as having been regularly practising the process, called tankering, since 2019 by The Times last month, to which the flagship airline responded by promising a review.