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Spending more on fuel is preferable to canceling flights, especially in a lucrative business market like New York. Delta Air Lines alone said Sandy cost it $20 million in profit in October because of cancellations. Airlines typically buy fuel from local companies. Some airlines have larger stockpiles than others. For instance, Delta Air Lines Inc. recently bought an oil refinery outside Philadelphia, in part, to ensure that it had an adequate supply of fuel. Delta kept the refinery running during the storm. CEO Richard Anderson said the airline used good forecasts from its in-house meteorologists to make the decision to keep facility open while some other Northeast refineries closed. Delta spokesman Trebor Banstetter said the company didn't expect "a jet fuel supply issue in the region." Regional airlines Chautauqua Airlines, Republic Airlines and Shuttle America are, however, loading extra fuel on some inbound flights, according to Peter Kowalchuk, spokesman for their parent company, Republic Airways Holdings Inc. Frontier Airlines, also owned by Republic, is adding additional fuel to its flights. So is United Continental Holdings Inc., which operates a major hub out of Newark, N.J. "Taking these precautions is not unusual in the event of snowstorms or other significant travel disruptions," said spokesman Charlie Hobart. "We want to make sure that we can accommodate our customers and operate our aircraft effectively." Southwest Airlines Co. spokesman Brad Hawkins said: "We are adding extra fuel to mitigate having to fuel-up in the tri-State area. We do this often, for a variety of circumstances. In this case, it's obvious supply issues." JetBlue Airways Corp., Virgin America and Spirit Airlines Inc. said they did not see a need to add fuel right now.
[Associated
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