Passengers at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports faced delays on Sunday after a short-term jet fuel supply problem forced some flights to make extra stops for fuel. The disruption was later resolved overnight, and both airports said they were running normally again.
The issue landed at a busy travel moment, with people already moving through two of Scotland’s main airports and trying to get away on weekend services. British Airways was among the airlines affected, though it said its flights from Edinburgh and Glasgow were operating and were not significantly affected.
Glasgow Airport said there was no widespread disruption and no related cancellations, even as some passengers still saw delays. The airport said a short-term staffing issue had affected one of the fuel suppliers used by airlines there, and that work was under way to bring stock levels back to normal. Edinburgh Airport said deliveries were now arriving and the airport was running as normal.
The fuel problem was limited to logistics and drivers, not any broader geopolitical event, and airlines were responsible for buying and sourcing their own fuel while airports provided storage and infrastructure. EET Fuels apologised to passengers and airlines affected at Glasgow and Edinburgh, saying the short-term logistics issue had been resolved and fuel availability was normal. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said the same, describing the disruption as a driver logistics issue that had been fixed.
What makes the episode awkward is the gap between the official line and what travellers experienced on Sunday. Both airports said they remained fully operational, yet passengers still faced delays and some flights had to stop for extra fuel before continuing. The problem is now closed, but the unanswered detail is which other flights beyond British Airways were caught up in it.
