Kerosene Shortage in Hamburg: Two Mallorca Flights Canceled, Further Delays Possible

Short-Term Kerosene Shortage Causes Trouble at Hamburg Airport

In the early hours of Thursday morning, Hamburg Airport suddenly faced a problem that no one expected: aviation fuel, i.e., kerosene, is in short supply. The cause was said to be a technical failure at a refinery, according to inquiries. The result: Some aircraft could temporarily not be refueled directly at the airport.

What This Means for Mallorca Flights

For travelers to Palma, the issue had direct consequences. At least two connections to Mallorca had already been canceled, including an evening flight with a departure time of 22:30. Flights to Hurghada were also affected. On the tarmac there was still a kind of normal operation in the morning – many aircraft took off as planned, according to a spokesperson for a tour operator affected, who was cautious about naming names on site.

The airport administration warns that in the coming days further changes or delays are possible. We expect that flight schedules can change at short notice, said a spokesman. When the fuel supply problems will be resolved remains open; fuel supply chains do not react within hours, often it takes a few days.

Airlines Respond: Refueling at Other Airports

Some airlines, including Condor, said they would refuel their aircraft at alternative locations to keep normal air traffic as much as possible. That means for the crew occasionally an extra refueling stop or detour – for passengers often only longer waiting times.

Important to know: The airport itself does not handle procurement or storage of kerosene. The fueling depot is operated by a private company; the oil majors are the contract partners of the airlines. Hamburg therefore only provides the spaces; procurement and delivery are handled by third parties.

What Affected Passengers Should Do Now

Anyone departing from Hamburg in the coming days should regularly check the flight status, arrive at the airport early, and if in doubt call the airline hotline or the travel operator. Rebookings and refunds are to be arranged through the respective providers. A small practical editorial tip from the editors: take screenshots of your booking confirmations and phone numbers — if the connection suddenly wobbles, that is faster than searching for a long time.

In the meantime, everyone hopes the refinery will quickly fix the technical problem and that supply returns to normal. Until then, the situation remains a bit volatile – especially for people with tight connection plans or booked Mallorca holidays.