Ministry lifts air travel limit as fuel crisis eases

The impact of Auckland’s jet fuel crisis appears to be easing even before the pipeline is fixed.

At midnight on Thursday, the restrictions on airlines drawing aviation fuel from Auckland Airport rose from 30 per cent of normal uptake to 50 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Government has lifted a restriction on public servant travel.

Since last Saturday, Auckland Airport has been imposing rationing on airlines after the pipeline that supplies aviation fuel was damaged.

Initially the airlines struggled to hit the 30 per cent target, forcing more than 100 flights to be cancelled. Many long -aul and trans-Tasman flights faced extra stopovers for refuelling elsewhere.

By Thursday, the situation appeared to be settling as airlines came to terms with the limits. The situation has now improved, with the fuel industry raising the rationing limits, as tanker-loads of aviation fuel began being trucked from Marsden Point.

Energy and Resources Minister Judith Collins said yesterday about 500,000 litres of aviation fuel would be delivered by truck to the airport.

‘‘That’s pretty significant because airlines usually get about a million litres a day,’’ Collins said.

Mobil New Zealand boss Andrew McNaught, who is acting as spokesman for the industry, said: ‘‘Alternative jet fuel supply options and increased confidence in the Refining NZ pipeline repair timetable will see airline fuel allocations move from 30 per cent to 50 per cent.’’

Earlier in the week public servants were ordered to delay all non-essential travel. Yesterday the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said the restrictions on public servants would be lifted.