There are reports of jet fuel rationing at the Phillip Goldson International airport, and no one knows it better than passengers on a direct Delta Airlines flight to Atlanta that left Belize this afternoon. They just arrived in Atlanta an hour ago, which is 2 hours behind schedule. That's because they ended up having to do a two hour, fifteen minute layover in Miami so that their Boeing 737 could re-fuel after leaving Belize without being able to top up. That also meant that passengers had to get off the plane and go through customs in Miami as per US border regulations.
It's a massive inconvenience for travelers but persons with knowledge of the situation tell us that aviation fuel is not scarce per se at the PGIA. They saw however that the fuel vendor is requiring that airlines stick strictly to the volume of fuel requested in their quotas. Apparently, there is a heavy demand for jet fuel at this time of year and that is what the fuel vendor says forces them to have to adhere to quotas.
But, the other side of the story is that it's a costly and unnecessary detour - which inconveniences travelers who miss their connections - and it costs the airlines as well.
We're told that fuel trucks are on the way but the problem won't be resolved until after Easter.
