Fuel contamination forces Qantas and Virgin to reroute flights to Fiji

A contamination incident involving aviation fuel at Nadi International Airport has disrupted international services to Fiji. The problem, attributed to an excessive electrical charge in a fuel batch, has forced Qantas to deploy Airbus A330s instead of Boeing 737s on the Sydney-Nadi sector, and Virgin Australia to cancel two flights and arrange mid-journey refuelling stops in New Caledonia and Vanuatu. Pilots have been told to transport more than 20 tonnes of fuel to the island to complete the return flight, a quantity representing roughly a quarter of a typical tank.

Fiji Airports officials declined to confirm the source of the contamination but said they are monitoring the situation and making operational adjustments. The national carrier, Fiji Airways, is also dealing with a steep rise in fuel costs, prompting the government to approve a $127 million guarantee to help offset the surge.