180 flights cancelled at Amsterdam's airport over fuelling
The Hague: Thousands of passengers flying to and from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport faced delays and cancelled flights Wednesday due to problems refuelling planes at the busy European aviation hub.
Airport spokeswoman Willemeike Koster said 180 flights were cancelled at the airport just outside Amsterdam, stranding passengers at Schiphol and other airports.
Field beds were being set up at the airport as a precaution in case passengers were forced to wait overnight for their flights, Koster told The Associated Press.
It was not clear how many passengers were affected by the delays and cancellations, but Koster said the number ran into the thousands.
The airport said a company that supplies fuel to planes at the airport has "a fault in their system. That means that planes cannot be refuelled right now, which is causing delays."
The airport said it was working with the company, Aircraft Fuel Supply, to try to resolve the problem. "It is still unclear how long this will take, but we expect it to last long into the evening," Schiphol said.
"We regret any inconvenience for travellers and airlines."
Only one-third of the usual number of flights was arriving at Schiphol on Wednesday night, Koster said. Even fewer were leaving.
"If they have enough fuel they can go," Koster said. "There are planes departing, but it is at a minimum level."
Dutch airline KLM said it was possible flights would be cancelled Thursday as well due to an "phased restart" of operations at the airport.
The fuel problem came during the busy summer vacation period in the Netherlands and on a day that saw a heat wave set a record high temperature.
The Dutch weather service Weerplaza said the southern city of Eindhoven reported a temperature of 39.3 degrees C (102.7 F), the hottest day in the country in 75 years.
Airport spokesman Hans van Kastel told Dutch broadcaster NOS that the fuel issue was not believed to be linked to the hot weather.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
