Virgin and Qantas services to Fiji have been impacted by the fuel contamination issue at Nadi International Airport. (AAP: Bianca De Marchi)
A batch of aviation fuel in Fiji has been contaminated, forcing Qantas and Virgin to bring in excess fuel to make the return journey to Australia.
Sources have told the ABC the contamination relates to an excessive electrical charge in a batch of fuel stored at the airport.
Pilots have been told the issue could last until the end of the month, however authorities say they are working around the issue.
Airlines servicing Fiji are being forced to fly in fuel to the island nation as a fuel contamination issue hits the country's international airport.
Virgin Australia yesterday cancelled two services on its Fiji route and confirmed planes are being forced to stop halfway at airports such in New Caledonia and Vanuatu to make the journey back to Australia and Fiji.
In what one pilot described to the ABC as a "very rare" situation, airlines are being asked to fuel up at alternative airports if possible and bring in stockpiles of fuel to Nadi International Airport.
In correspondence seen by the ABC, pilots are being told that there is a "major contamination" and supply cannot be guaranteed in Fiji.
Pilots have been told the problem may continue until the end of the month.
One pilot said he has to bring in "more than 20 tonnes" of fuel to Fiji in order to make the flight back to Australia.
On a standard plane that services Fiji that equates to about one third to a quarter of a tank.
Qantas said it had switched to larger planes, a Boeing 737 to an Airbus A330, for the Sydney-Nadi route to avoid needing to refuel in Nadi.
Qantas said it had swapped to a larger Airbus 330 for the Sydney-Nadi flight. (ABC News: Andrew O'Connor)
Sources have told the ABC the contamination issue relates to an excessive electrical charge in a batch of fuel stored at the airport, however it was unclear where the issue originated from.
The source indicated it could be resolved soon or escalate into a more significant issue.