(Exclusive) - A navigation source reveals to "Yemeni Youth Net" that the aircraft fuel at Sana'a Airport has completely run out and the number of flights to Amman has been reduced

A navigational source at Sana'a International Airport revealed to "Yemeni Youth Net" that the aircraft fuel had been completely depleted for about a week due to the terrorist Houthi militias detaining Yemenia Airlines planes, which led to the cancellation of passengers' reservations and incurring huge losses for the company.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said that Yemenia flights between Sana'a and Amman were reduced to one flight and reservations for the other flight were cancelled due to the complete depletion of fuel at Sana'a International Airport, as a result of the Houthi militia detaining the planes and operating them from Sana'a Airport only.

He added that the Houthis' detention of four Yemenia Airlines planes and preventing them from receiving fuel and operating from other airports in the Republic exacerbates the crisis and siege on the people of Yemen, not to mention the huge losses borne by passengers whose flights were cancelled while they were in transit to other countries.

The source explained that Yemenia flights that take off from the Jordanian capital Amman to Sana'a are forced to reduce the number of passengers, due to the plane's load of additional fuel that is being shipped, noting that between 30 and 50 passengers are reduced on each return flight from Amman, and this causes huge losses for Yemenia Airlines.

He stated that the Houthis’ detention of the four planes and the operation of flights between Sana’a and Amman consumed the fuel stored at the airport because the situation had not been restored to what it was before, as the planes were taking off from all the airports of the Republic and arriving at Sana’a airport full of fuel, which reduced the deficit at Sana’a airport.

The source pointed out that the Houthi militias have currently come to buy fuel, but it will not arrive at Sana'a airport until about a month and a half later, which means that this unprecedented crisis will continue.

He stressed that with the Houthi militias continuing to escalate and seize aircraft, the great damage will befall the Yemeni Airlines Company and the citizen, especially since the majority of passengers from Sana'a Airport are in transit to other destinations, and because of that they lost the value of tickets for the other line, and this is suffering on top of suffering.

In late June, Yemenia Airlines announced that the Houthi militia had detained four of its Airbus 320 and Airbus 330 aircraft at Sana’a International Airport, warning that this threatened the safety of air navigation in Yemen and made it more difficult to operate flights to and from the country.

In turn, the Yemeni Ministry of Transport said at the time that the violations committed by the Houthi militia against the national carrier had continued since the freezing of the company's financial balances in early March 2023, which exceeded $100 million, noting the militia's insistence on monopolizing a large part of the revenues without justification.

The UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, announced in late July that the Yemeni government and the Houthis had reached an agreement on several measures to de-escalate the situation in the banking sector and Yemenia Airlines, according to a statement from the envoy's office.

The second point of the agreement stipulated that Yemenia Airlines would resume flights between Sana'a and Jordan, increase the number of flights from one to three per day, and operate flights to Cairo and India daily, or as needed. The third point stipulated holding meetings to address the administrative, technical and financial challenges facing Yemenia Airlines.

In light of the ongoing crisis that is raging in the company due to the intransigence and escalation of the Houthi militias, the Yemeni Airlines unions launched an initiative in the middle of this month to save the company, warning of the continuation of the current situation, which they described as “worrying and unfortunate,” and said that it has negatively affected the company and threatens its entity, organizational structure, and operational capabilities.

The initiative stressed the need to reach solutions regarding the company's accounts held (by the Houthis) in banks, as well as the company's aircraft held at Sana'a International Airport, and to operate Yemenia flights from Sana'a International Airport to all operational destinations according to the policy of the countries to which they wish to operate after joint coordination and obtaining the necessary operational permits.

She also stressed the need to agree to open ticket sales in all company offices without restrictions or conditions, and to determine a financial policy for operational and capital expenditures according to sales rates and needs, and to contribute to decision-making and the distribution of powers at all levels of leadership in the company in accordance with the system, regulations and best practices recommended internationally, and according to the requirements and work environment.

The unions also stressed their right to take all steps and measures guaranteed by the law, the constitution, and international and local conventions to ensure the preservation of the company, its property, and its continuity in providing its services.

In turn, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yemenia Airlines, Captain Nasser Mahmoud, announced his support for the unions’ initiative, in order to contain the current crisis, solve the company’s problems and keep it away from the political conflict, pointing out that “the crisis the company is going through has cast its shadow on all levels until it has brought us to a dangerous turning point due to the continuous escalation of the crisis.”

Mahmoud stressed his keenness on the company, its activity, its development and improving the situation for all the company’s employees, supporting “what was stated in the initiative, and there is no objection to sitting at the negotiating table to resolve all our differences in accordance with the company’s regulations and systems,” calling on all members of the company to preserve it and its interests as a national carrier for all the people of Yemen.

In contrast, the Houthi militias did not comment on the initiative, which means that they rejected it and continued the escalation aimed at seizing Yemenia Airlines and its financial revenues.