A kerosene shortage at Sénou Airport in Bamako has been disrupting flights for several days, leading to cancellations and rescheduling. According to a statement from Mali's National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) on July 8, 2024, the shortage will persist from July 9 to July 15, 2024.
ANAC has notified the Agency for Air Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) to inform users about the unavailability of Jet A1 fuel at the airport. The shortage has resulted in decreased flight frequency at Bamako's main airport. Sky Mali, for instance, canceled its July 10 flights to Kayes and Timbuktu. Ethiopian Airlines and Turkish Airlines have also been affected, with the latter canceling all its flights for the week.
The shortage is attributed to supply chain issues and maintenance work on fuel storage tanks. As a result, aircraft are refueling in neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal. This situation mirrors a similar incident in 2011 when flights to Mali had to refuel in neighboring countries due to fuel shortages.