No fuel shortage at Richards Bay airport

REPORTS of a fuel shortage at Richards Bay Airport have been denied by the Airport Manager, who said the company has embarked on negotiations for better fuel prices.

‘Recent changes in fuel pricing has made aviation, especially general aviation, very expensive,’ said Airport Manager Oscar Nzima.

‘We have started negotiations with our existing, and other, fuel suppliers on pricing and fuel logistics, with the aim of securing a better pricing structure that will benefit both Richards Bay Airport and its users.’

Nzima said the airport is in the final stages of the negotiations and should finalise the airport’s long-term supply of fuel soon.

Echoing the sentiments, a director at Indiza Airport Management, Riaan Cilliers, said recent pricing between suppliers differed by us much as 149.67 cents per litre.

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He said scheduled flights are not affected as the airline (SA Express) does not require fuel at Richards Bay, but refuels at OR Tambo where it is supplied at a lower rate than in Richards Bay.

‘Air BP, the current supplier’s delivery price of fuel at Richards Bay is higher than the resale price of fuel at OR Tambo,’ said Cilliers.

But small craft operators at Richards Bay Airport are reportedly unable to fill up in Richards Bay and have to drive to Durban to collect drums of fuel before being able to fly out.

‘Even if the cost of fuel at the airport is increased, it would still be cheaper than driving between Durban and Richards Bay, which is what we have to do now if we want to fill up our planes,’ said ChrisHowcroft, who has been operating his aircraft out of Richards Bay for many years.

He said the issue has been ongoing for the past year and he looks forward to it being settled.

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