CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — An issue was reported at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport's fuel farm circuit system on Monday, which impacted departing flights, according to a Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority official.
"At no time was the Buffalo International Airport ever out of fuel,” Kelly Khatib, spokesperson for the NFTA, said.
Late Sunday and into the early hours of Monday, about a dozen flights were delayed or diverted because of a fueling issue.
Khatib told 7 News Senior Reporter Eileen Buckley they have plenty of fuel available because the airport has its own "fuel farm"; however, there's a circuit issue.
“We never lost fuel. Fuel is always here. There's currently an issue transferring the fuel," Khatib said. "What did happen was around sometime last night there was an issue at our fuel farm with this circuit with one of the circuit boards, so that was preventing the transfer of fuel."
Khatib clarified details regarding the earlier Federal Aviation Administration Notice to Airmen alert about a possible fuel shortage at the airport.
7 News received a couple of those messages sent by the FAA, and that literally “fueled” rumors that the airport was out of fuel.
“That is a very short, quick message that they would send, you know, just to generally let people know what's going on. But that's not the entirety of the story, so to be accurate,” Khatib explained.
WATCH: Repairs underway at Buffalo Niagara International Airport after fuel system issue causes delays
The passenger who sent one of the alerts to us was already in the air on a plane that was to head to Detroit for refueling before it could fly to Atlanta.
The passenger told me in a text that in 20 years of flying, they never experienced this type of issue.
Khatib said stormy weather Sunday night also contributed to some of those delays and diversions. Emergency repairs continue Monday to resolve the matter.
"Crews are working diligently to fix the issue, and passengers are advised to check with their airline for specific flight information," Khatib said
The airport's fuel farm is solely to fill airport planes.
“It wasn't as if, you know, we were waiting on a fuel tanker to come, and we didn't have it. We have plenty of fuel here. It was just the transferring of that fuel,” Khatib said.
Anyone with flights out of the Buffalo Airport should check with their airline first to check for any delays.
