American Airlines and other carriers are facing possible fuel shortages at some airports, industry representatives said.
American told its pilots to conserve fuel by using a single engine while taxiing if the plane allows for that, the airline said.
“We are aware of fuel supply issues at some airports, predominantly across the western U.S., affecting a number of carriers,” American said in a statement Monday. It said the airline has had “minimal operational impact” so far.
The company said the issue was largely caused by a shortage of truck drivers and fuel trucks, and in some cases, pipeline allocations also are contributing to the issue. It said it has not had to cancel flights.
State officials in Nevada, including Gov. Steve Sisolak (D), warned Saturday of “potential jet fuel shortages that could delay cargo delivery and passenger travel at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in coming days.”
“The Governor and Congressional delegation expect the airlines and fuel companies to make options available to them to help support the public. To be clear, further failure to secure adequate fuel supplies is unacceptable,” Sisolak said in a joint statement with three members of the Nevada congressional delegation.
The extent of possible problems at other airports was not clear, and the representatives with the Federal Aviation Administration did not immediately answer questions Monday about how federal officials are tracking or addressing the issues. Industry group Airlines for America did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Southwest Airlines said it has “no operational concerns.”
Southwest said it is flying fuel into “areas with lower fuel quantities, so we can keep our operation moving with minimal Customer impact.”
This article originally appeared on Washington Post