Newcastle Airport has run out of fuel

Frustration is growing around the Newcastle Airport terminal building.

January 8, 2019

Bruce Douglas 2 minutes read

Many months after the structure was said to be 99% complete, issues continue to plague the project including alleged nonpayment of sub-contractors and a non-existent fuel supply.

For now, work appears to have ground to a halt.

Local pilot Quentin Ferreira described it as sad to have a state-of-the-art building standing empty and high-tech equipment not being utilised.

“The potential is there, but there are a couple of questions.”

In addition to asking why certain staff had been hired when the terminal building was not yet operational, Ferreira also mentioned the problems relating to there being no fuel at the airport.

This forced pilots to fuel up their aircraft elsewhere.

According to previous information from the municipality, the tender for a fuel supplier was re-advertised in hopes of securing a notable service provider.

“The big thing with regular pilots is the fuel supply. Locals can’t fill up in Newcastle and regulars from outside town will stop elsewhere. We lose a lot of business from stopovers and feet into town.”

Another point made by local pilots is that if funds were provided for the terminal building project, why has it not been completed?

They say delays have turned the airport into a ‘ghost town’.

Pilots have also lambasted the municipality for failing to keep members of the flying community informed on development of the airport.

As a result, there are far more questions than answers.

While the status of the project has garnered many negative comments, Ferreira did give his compliments to the municipality on the positive direction the terminal building upgrade had taken thus far.