A recent two‐line news item in the International Herald Tribune highlighted an important aspect of Russia's interest in developing cryogenic‐fuelled aircraft. The item read simply “The airport in Vladivostok, in far eastern Russia, closed down on Tuesday because it had run out of fuel.” The air routes to Vladivostok from Moscow and other major Russian cities are extremely long and all kerosene loaded at Vladivostok has to be transported there for the purpose. Fuel supply routes extend over thousands of kilometres whether they involve the limited road and rail links in that part of the world or marine tankers using equally‐long and challenging sea routes.