QANTAS and Virgin Blue have rejected Adelaide airport's invitation to use tankers to refuel their planes at the new domestic terminal while contractors battle to clean its contaminated underground fuel system.
The two domestic airlines are refusing to shift to the new terminal until the system is clean, saying the option of using tankers puts passengers at risk.
The opening of the $260million terminal for domestic airlines has turned into a fiasco. It has been delayed for three months by contamination in the underground fuel pipe system.
Adelaide Airport managing director Phil Baker, returning from several weeks' holiday, said yesterday it was "supremely frustrating" that domestic airlines had refused to move until the terminal was ready, but they were contractually within their rights to do so.
International and regional airlines have temporarily adopted the tanker option so they can use the new terminal while contractor Hansen Yuncken works with fuel supplier Exxon Mobil to fix the fuel system.