UAE motorists brave hour-long queues for cheap fuel in Oman

Fujairah - A certain one hour wait for filling up the tanks is not deterring UAE motorists from frequenting the petrol pump across the border in Oman.

Motorists from the UAE are seen flocking a petrol pump across the border in Oman, where petrol prices are cheaper by 30 to 40 per cent.
A certain one hour wait for filling up the tanks is not deterring UAE motorists from frequenting the petrol pump, local residents have said.
The petrol pump in Madha, Oman, which lies on the road linking Fujairah and Khor Fakkan, sees long queues of cars with UAE number plates round the clock.
Mahmud Sami, a resident of Fujairah, said the Madha petrol pump is a good option for residents of the area as they can save anywhere between Dh30 and Dh50 for a full tank of petrol.
"I drive 20km to Madha to fill up my petrol tank. I save about Dh30 each time I fill petrol from here as compared to petrol pumps in the UAE," said Sami.

Demand for filling up at the station is so high that motorists have to wait for over an hour for their turn, he said.
Hanio Ahmed, a resident of the Gadfa area, said: "I have to wait for over an hour for my turn, but I don't mind waiting as the amount I save on fuel is significant."
An official at the petrol pump said the capacity of oil tanks at the pump is 50,000 litres. "However, the demand is so high that we run out of petrol within a few hours."
He said even Fujairah taxis queue to fill up.
An Asian taxi driver told Khaleej Times: "We save over Dh40 each time we fill up."
The Times of Oman had reported last month that Omani authorities were taking steps to curb bids to smuggle fuel into the UAE after the price hike came into effect in August.
'Super' petrol in Oman costs Dh1.14 per litre and Dh2.25 in the UAE; while 'Regular' petrol costs Dh1.1 per litre in Oman as compared to UAE's Dh2.14.
salah@khaleejtimes.com

• Fujairah