Fire At MIA Continues To Cause Flight Cancelations And Delays

NEWSROOM


Fire At MIA Continues To Cause Flight Cancelations And Delays By Mike Mitchell

		March 26, 2011 - Flights at Miami International Airport (MIA) continue to be delayed or canceled in the aftermath of Wednesday night's massive fuel tank fire on the southeast side of the airport. Over 100 fire crews battled the flames into the early morning hours of Thursday that broke out at the airport's aircraft fuel farm. Airport officials reported the fire may have been triggered by an electrical short. The tank farm stores more than half of the airports jet fuel, includes six fuel tanks which stores about eight million gallons of fuel. The airports southeast farm which includes 14 pumps is capable of pumping out 2,000 gallons of fuel per hour.

Miami International Airport receives about 55,000 barrels of jet fuel each day from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale through an underground pipeline known as the Everglades Pipeline. Fire officials believe the pipeline did not encounter any damage. However there was major damage to the hydrant fuel farms pumps which forced the airlines to rely on fuel trucks to fuel the aircraft which takes twice as long. Its believed that the pump system is a total loss and that it may take several months to replace. "We've got a plan in place that will have near to normal operations early next week, and we'll have to live with that for awhile, until we're able to fully replace the system, which will take a few months," said MIA Spokesman Greg Chin. The fire at the airport has caused thousands of stranded passengers waiting to fly out resulting in a large number of passengers being forced to sleep at the airport. This weekend is a busy tourism weekend for south Florida. As a number events have been scheduled for the Miami area which will include the Sony Ericsson Open tennis tournament and the Ultra Music Festival, which is sold out. American Airlines operates 70 percent of all flights in and out of the airport which represents about 300 flights per day. As a result of the fire American Airlines has canceled over 400 flights.

		American Airlines reported that due to the fire that has severely affected aircraft fueling capabilities at MIA, American Airlines will offer its customers the ability to change their travel plans. Passengers are being advised to check gates and times online, sign up for flight status alerts and calls to reservations may involve lengthy hold times. Other News Stories (For the latest news please checkout our home page) FAA Installs 150th Alaska Weather Camera To Promote Safer Skies Garmin Raises The Bar With GTN 650 And 750 Touchscreen Avionics Airbus Military A400M Completes Low Speed Take Off Tests AOPA Pays Tribute To Air Traffic Controllers FAA Suspends Air Traffic Controller At Washington National Airport 54th Annual Avionics Convention Opened In Reno Nevada Going To The Bathroom On U.S. Commercial Aircraft Could Be Fatal After Two Years, Fired Pilot At Ryanair Gets Job Back AirTran Stockholders Approve Southwest Merger New Orleans Control Tower Given Notice Of Workplace Safety Violations Air Force F-22 Breaks Sound Barrier On Camelina Based Biofuel Gulfstream G250 Completes Aircraft Natural Icing Tests Sikorsky Aircraft Opens New CH-53K Helicopter Assembly Plant In Florida To Date No Flight Restrictions In And Out Of Japan Airports Bombardier CSeries Aircraft Systems Testing Begins EASA Certifies Garmin G500H Glass Cockpit On The Eurocopter AS350 The Boeing 747-8 Makes A Successful First Flight Customs Officer Smuggled Drug Money And Guns Though ATL Airport O?Hare Airport To Receive Federal Funding For Airport Improvements Omniflight Completes Level 1 Of The FAA SMS Program Aircraft Maintenance In America Who Is Fixing My Plane? NTEU Tells Congress CBP Staffing Must Be Increased Bernard von NotHaus Convicted of Minting His Own Currency United Airlines Mechanics Secure Tentative Agreement With Airline NTSB Urges Pilots To Be Vigilant For Meteorological Evaluation Towers TSA 2012 Budget Proposal Is The Right Path For Agency FAA Warns Rotorcraft Pilots On The Use Of Garmin 400/500 With TAWS IATA, Japan Crisis To Have Impact On Global Air Transport Markets CSeries Aircraft Has Permanent Home At ICAO Headquarters Lobby Boeing To Construct Second Oklahoma City Facility Airbus Rolls Out The Biggest Carbon Fuselage Panel For A350 XWB Aircraft FAA Issues Residential ?Through The Fence? Policy Northrop Completes Third Flight Of X-47B Unmanned Aircraft Sonex Aircraft Accepting Deposits On Folding Wing Sport Aircraft