Shannon Airport received some unexpected business this week after fuel supply issues at an English airport forced flights make stopovers here to take on fuel.
Several holiday flights travelling from England to the Caribbean made unscheduled stops at Shannon.
Technical stops are not at all unusual at the MidWest airport as airlines regularly land to take on fuel before continuing their journeys. However, in recent days, a number of flights diverted and landed at Shannon to top up their fuel tanks because of supply chain issues with aviation fuel at Birmingham Airport in England.
Airlines were advised of an issue with fuel supply at Birmingham Airport and that they should contact their fuel suppliers for updates.
TUI Airways flights from Birmingham to Mexico and Jamaica made the unscheduled stops at Shannon on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for TUI Group said: “We can confirm that flights TOM544 and TOM204 refueled in Shannon as a temporary measure due a fuel issue at Birmingham Airport.”
This morning, another TUI Airways flight from Bristol in England to Cancún, Mexico made an unscheduled stop at Shannon to take on fuel. It’s understood that, in this case, the runway at Bristol isn’t long enough to facilitate a Boeing 787-900 jet carrying the fuel required to completed the flight to Mexico.
The stopovers provided unexpected but welcome business for the airport, air traffic control, ground handling agents and fuel companies.
Airport Operations & Commercial Director at Shannon Airport Niall Maloney said: “Transit traffic is part of the Shannon Airport business model, and as a 24/7 operator we are pleased to be able to facilitate this ad hoc business. Our geographical location for transiting long haul transatlantic traffic and associated facilities makes us an ideal location for technical stops including fuel uplifts”.
