YIKES: Orlando International Airport Will Run Out of Fuel Today — Flights Impacted

Here’s a newsflash I didn’t have on my 2022 Bingo card. According to multiple sources, including Matt Trezza, an Orlando-based reporter from the local Fox station, Orlando International Airport is running low on fuel and travel is going to be impacted. RELATED: What to Do: Flight Delays and Cancellations

Matt tweeted: “MCO says fuel reserves lower than normal. Domestic flights asked to top-off before arriving. Int’l flights may have to make fuel stops. Gulf Coast weather delayed tankers, but supplies are moving. @Delta says flights may be impacted over next two days.”

#BREAKING: @MCO says fuel reserves lower than normal. Domestic flights asked to top-off before arriving. Int’l flights may have to make fuel stops. Gulf Coast weather delayed tankers, but supplies are moving. @Delta says flights may be impacted over next two days. #FOX35

— Matt Trezza FOX 35 (@Fox35Matt) December 11, 2022

Matt’s right as the Orlando International Airport (MCO) tweeted just a few minutes ago: “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.

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

The news broke last night on Twitter per @xJonNYC, an aviation insider who tweeted:  MCO:
— Out of fuel by tomorrow–
Will definitely impact lability to operate flights to/from.

MCO:

— Out of fuel by tomorrow–

Will definitely impact lability to operate flights to/from.

— ?? JonNYC ?? (@xJonNYC) December 11, 2022

He then followed up with a screenshot of more detailed information, which states: “Due to delay in the vessel delivery it is projected that MCO will not have fuel from Sunday at 1900L until Tuesday 0300L
Ops plan
Tanker has been turned on for MCO
54 flights have been identified to be impacted
32 of those will most lilely required tech stops for fuel
Planning to use MIA for westbound flight
Flight to NE and ORD will have the options of ATL, CLT and JAX
The remaining 22 should be able to tanker fuel depending on payload and weather”

pic.twitter.com/1c8alIBRb8

— ?? JonNYC ?? (@xJonNYC) December 11, 2022

If you’re wondering what tankering is, according to Eurocontrol: “it’s “a practice whereby an aircraft carries more fuel than required for its flight in order to reduce or avoid refuelling at the destination airport.”

Flight disruptions have already occurred. A United Airlines passenger, Michael Gaines, shared a screenshot of a text from the airline showing his Orlando to San Francisco (SFO) flight will have to make a fuel stop in Fort Myers. “Apparently Orlando doesn’t have enough fuel for my flight? This is a new one for me! ? Appreciate the heads up that my non-stop is now a fuel-stop.”

Apparently Orlando doesn’t have enough fuel for my flight? This is a new one for me! ? Appreciate the heads up that my non-stop is now a fuel-stop. @MCO @flySFO @united pic.twitter.com/FKd7qjgg8x

— Michael Gaines (@michaelgaines) December 11, 2022

Obviously this is going to impact thousands of travelers but the airport and airlines already seem to have operations in place so they don’t have to cancel a lot of flights. So far, it looks like just British Airways canceled their Gatwick flight (per FlightAware).

No doubt adding a fuel stop will make flights longer (up to four hours) and you can see from the screenshots below of a couple of today’s United Orlando west coast flights, the stops are adding just over three hours of travel time.

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