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The importance of flexible fuelling

In today’s aviation industry, circumstances can change in a heartbeat - you only need to look at the turmoil at airports across the world created by the British Airways pilot strikes or Thomas Cook recently entering into administration to appreciate that.

Flexibility has therefore never been more important in the industry, and this is especially true when considering fuelling. Whether it’s an abnormal influx of aircrafts into the airport in a short space of time, or adverse weather conditions, the ability to fuel is pivotal to the successful running of an airport. World Fuel Services displayed exactly that earlier this year when partnering with Aéroport de Cherbourg-Maupertus to guarantee fuel supply for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Isabelle Camardese, Fuel Director at Edeis Fuel, explains the challenges facing Aéroport de Cherbourg-Maupertus in the build up to the event. She said “Cherbourg is a regional airport which doesn’t experience the type of footfall many of the international airports in France do. That changed in the build-up to the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings however, when it became almost impossible to accurately forecast the fluctuating demand for fuel to service aircraft and military vehicles attending the events.”

Fluctuating demand was down not only to the widespread interest in the event for those flying into the area to attend the commemorations, but also the sheer number of military vehicles in the area to mark the 75th anniversary.

Isabelle continues, “In the end, fuel demand in June actually grew by 424 per cent compared to the five previous months combined thanks to the vast increase in aircraft and vehicles coming through the airport. This was complicated further by the closure of the main road into the airport with the anticipated arrival of President Donald Trump, which meant twice as much fuel needed to be delivered the day prior to guarantee supply. This was managed expertly by the World Fuel Services team, taking a truly flexible approach to ensure Cherbourg always had the fuel required to satisfy demand.”

In response to the road closure, World Fuel delivered twice as much fuel as planned in the day before the Presidents potential arrival to ensure there wasn’t a shortage at any point. It also utilised other terminals it has a fixed-based presence at, including La Rochelle, Paris and Holland, to guarantee supply and ensure responses to unexpected fluctuations were possible in a timely manner.

Flexible fuelling is one of the most pivotal aspects of running a successful airport, regardless of the size and scale. Whether a relatively small airport like Cherbourg, or one of the largest in the world, no airport can afford to go without fuel even in the short-term. Unforeseen challenges will inevitably arise, which is why partnering with a flexible fuel provider should be high on any airport’s agenda.

www.wfscorp.com

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 28th November 2019 | Issue #535

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