Airlines in Auckland will continue operating with limited fuel supplies as rationing is expected to continue through until next week, disrupting thousands more travellers.
The companies have been operating with only 30 per cent of their normal supplies since a pipeline carrying jet fuel to the airport from a refinery in Marsden Point in Northland was damaged last Thursday
This rationing was proving effective and the fuel industry did not as yet foresee a need to further tighten supplies, a Mobil Oil spokesman said on behalf of the industry.
"The decision has been made to retain that 30 per cent allocation until next Thursday," he said.
However, he said the industry would monitor and adjust supplies as needed.
It comes as rationed supplies continue to disrupt airline services, but are yet to have a major impact on Auckland's supply of car fuel.
Having cancelled 30 domestic and trans-Tasman flights since Sunday, Air New Zealand says 3000 more travellers will be affected by cancellations on Wednesday and 6000 more by schedule changes.
These include five Australian services, two Fiji services and a return service to Vietnam.
Jetstar has also cancelled a handful of domestic flights.
The damage to the pipeline from the Marsden Point refinery is believed to have been caused by a digger.
The line has been shut down temporarily, with refining NZ saying repairs are on track and deliveries expected to resume to its Wiri storage depot between Sunday and Tuesday.
