February 29 causes disruption and paralyzes gas stations across the country
Motorists in New Zealand are having a hard time getting fuel on Thursday, February 29. Across the country, petrol stations have been partially or even completely closed to the public. The reason: a software error linked to the leap year.
Self-service fuel pumps were shut down across New Zealand on Thursday, with several businesses reporting a leap year “software issue” that left motorists in a lurch. In the capital Wellington, some stations were completely closed, leaving customers with signs reading “Nationwide payment blackout – site unavailable.”
Software problem
“This is a nationwide issue affecting all fuel brands and appears to be a software issue with the payment service provider due to “It’s February 29, a leap year,” said Julian Lees, spokesman for Noor Fuel Distribution Group. Noor’s rival Allied Petroleum said it was facing a similar problem, adding that “service staffed by the stations” was slowly returning to service.
Another company, Z, apologized to customers: “We would like to assure you that we are working closely with our payment service provider to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.”