X-Message-Number: 22575
From: "Mark Plus" <>
Subject: Attention Australian and European cryonicists
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2003 09:17:55 -0700

I recall reading some on Cryonet some time back that a cryonicist announced 
that he was voluntarily moving from the U.S. back to his native Australia. I 
thought at the time that that was ill-advised because he's assuming after 
his deanimation his helpers would be able to find or afford a jet plane full 
of fuel to fly his refrigerated body back to his cryonic suspension provider 
in the U.S. I suspect that will become increasingly problematic as world oil 
production declines, and the energy infrastructure along with it.

Turns out I may have been prescient [Mark Plus]:

http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/030925/15/3egkz.html

Thursday September 25, 6:12 PM
Fuel Shortage Disrupts Sydney Airport Flights

   By Lilly Vitorovich and Edgar Ang
   Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Local and international airlines Thursday started 
diverting flights due to a surprise jet fuel shortage at Australia's busiest 
airport, adding hours to the length of some long haul flights from Sydney.

With the shortage traced to production problems by Caltex Australia Ltd. 
(A.CTX), fuel rationing at Sydney Airport began late in the morning and was 
expected to remain in place for at least 48 hours.

Analysts said the shortage will be a short-term headache for international 
carriers, adding to costs and inconveniencing passengers who are now only 
just returning to airline travel following the SARS outbreak and Iraq war. 
Domestic flights should be able to withstand the rationing as they can carry 
enough fuel from their starting point.

"It is certainly is a bit embarrassing," said Peter Harbison, the head of 
industry consultant Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. "You don't really 
expect to have this happening in a a sophisticated commercial environment," 
Harbison said.

Qantas late Thursday confirmed it had sent four international flights from 
Sydney to refueling stopovers in either Melbourne, Darwin or Cairns before 
proceeding to their final Asian destinations.

Singapore Airlines Ltd. (P.SAL) said it is assessing the impact of the jet 
fuel shortage with flight disruptions expected on Friday morning for the 
next two days.

"We are concerned about the impact these restrictions may have on aircraft 
operations. We are now working with our fuel planners to identify the impact 
that the new directive will have on our passenger aircraft and freighter 
operations to and from Sydney," it said.

Initially, Singapore Airlines had been advised that its fuel uptake had to 
be reduced by 10%, which could be accommodated by loading extra fuel from 
Singapore. But than it was told that uptake from Sydney must be slashed by 
65%.

   Virgin Blue Seeks Local Flight Preference

A Sydney-based transport analyst at a major investment bank said he expects 
the fuel shortage to hurt international flights more than local carriers 
Virgin Blue and Regional Express.

"It could be a problem for the long haul flights until this next shipment 
comes in. I guess they will be getting every bucket they can over to the 
airport," he said.

"You have a bigger problem for some of the international flights, 
particularly to LA where there is nothing much you can do. The worst thing 
that can happen is flights will have to be extended one and a half to two 
hours by going to Brisbane or somewhere else to fill up."

Australia's second biggest airline, Virgin Blue, plans to operate normal 
services from Sydney Airport on Friday despite the fuel shortage.

Virgin Blue said it will ask that oil companies give priority to domestic 
airlines as a result of the school holidays and several sporting events.

In a statement, fuel companies Caltex, (A.CTX), Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), BP 
PLC (BP) and Royal Dutch/Shell Group (RD) said they are working to restore 
full production as well as organizing additional tanker shipments from 
interstate and overseas.

The first ship will arrive in Sydney's Botany Bay Thursday evening, the fuel 
companies said.

A Caltex Australia official told Dow Jones Newswires that the planned 
shutdown at Kurnell refinery's 60,000 barrel a day crude distillation unit 
is helping squeeze the already tight jet fuel market.

The unit has been shut since September 3 but the resumption date has been 
pushed back by four days to October 7 due to some technical problems at the 
Sydney refinery.

"It is now a major issue regarding the jet fuel shortage, the shortage 
problem was underestimated," the official said.

Australian Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane said every effort is being made 
to ensure the inconvenience to airline passengers is kept to a minimum.

"It'll have some impact in terms of international flights but it is hoped 
that overall on the basis of the information given to us by the airlines 
that those impacts will be minimized," he told Australian Broadcasting Corp. 
radio.

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