Philippines May Ground Planes Due To Fuel Shortage Amid West Asia Crisis, President Says
Philippines: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has suggested a distinct possibility to ground planes in the country due to a shortage of jet fuel triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran, reported Bloomberg.
While speaking in an interview, the South East Asian country’s president said that the planes may be grounded due to the ongoing war in West Asia. The statement comes after several countries have allegedly informed Philippine airlines that they cannot refuel aircraft, forcing Philippine operators to carry fuel for both outbound and return journeys.
Philippines relies heavily on imported crude and most of them come from the West Asia, making the country highly exposed to energy shortages and domestic fuel prices.
Philippine budget carrier Cebu Air recently said it plans to reduce flights beginning next month because of surging fuel prices caused the current scenario.
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Some other Asian countries, including Vietnam, have said airlines are preparing to implement fuel surcharges on international routes from early April. Vietnam Airlines is temporarily suspending flights on some domestic routes while VietJet Aviation is reducing the frequency of flights.
