Power outages at Cape Town International Airport and fuel supply challenges at OR Tambo International Airport have led to significant flight disruptions. | Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers
There have been reports of huge problems and chaos at Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) and OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA).
According to Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), power disruptions at CTIA caused by a damaged cable have impacted operations at the airport’s fuel depot and led to aircraft landing delays.
“Airport operations are currently being powered by generators while repairs are under way to fully restore the fuel system. The issue has been temporarily resolved, and refuelling operations have resumed,” ACSA said.
“ACSA can confirm that flight schedules have been affected, and diversions are currently in place as the team works diligently to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
ACSA advised passengers to contact their airlines for updates on flight schedules.
It also encouraged passengers to download the ACSA Mobile App for real-time flight notifications and updates.
“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank all passengers for their patience and understanding.”
Meanwhile, on Sunday, ACSA said that following the fire at the National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (NATREF) refinery on January 4, which has been impacting the production of fuel nationally, the industry has secured enough supply for ORTIA for January and is collaborating to mitigate any disruption during the month of February.
ACSA said ORTIA has 27.1 million litres of jet fuel currently available. The airport currently utilises about 3.6 million litres of jet fuel a day, which means that there are about 7.6 days of stock on hand until the week ending on February 2.
The airports company said fuel distribution remains at the discretion of airlines and fuel suppliers under their respective commercial contracts. Airlines and suppliers are exploring alternative measures, such as tankering (refuelling at other airports), to manage fuel needs.
It said some airlines have raised concerns that their suppliers are restricting them and are not able to secure enough fuel to get them to their next destinations and have started making alternative plans to make fuel stops at other airports.
Airlines are entitled to take measures they consider prudent in the circumstances including tankering from other airports, to save the current fuel reserves until certainty about the month of February prevails.
ACSA said it has worked on the following solutions for February:
“ACSA would like to reassure airlines, passengers, and all stakeholders that every necessary step is being taken to maintain normal airport operations and ensure the secure and uninterrupted availability of jet fuel at ORTIA,” ACSA said.
It encouraged fuel suppliers to build fuel reserves — the additional fuel carried by aircraft beyond the planned requirements for a flight, which serves as a critical safety buffer for unforeseen circumstances such as delays, diversions, or unexpected changes in flight conditions.