Cape Town - Thousands of passengers using South Africa’s busiest airport experience flight delays on Wednesday as fuel supply shortages hit OR Tambo International Airport.
Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) said the supply from the fuel storage facility to the main hydrant system was where the challenge lay.
ACSA said this had affected refuelling of aircraft. It said technicians were on-site.
“OR Tambo Fuel Services Company used a manual system through fuel bowsers to fuel aircraft. Technicians are on site and have resolved the issue. They are constantly monitoring the situation,” it said.
ACSA said they were experiencing delays with domestic departures as well as international departures.
Please be aware that passengers travelling to Cape Town from OR Tambo International Airport can expect delays… https://t.co/RaW845Y1as
— Love Cape Town (@lovecapetown) December 28, 2022
In September, Cape Town International Airport also suffered a jet fuel shortage.
The shortage was caused by rough seas delaying an oil tanker’s delivery of the product to the port, which in turn led to the imposition of rationing and the cancellation a scheduled flight by American carrier United Airlines from Newark, New Jersey, to Cape Town.
The airport asked airlines to limit fuel intake in Cape Town.
In October, the tanker carrying fuel was successfully docked and ACSA spokesperson Gopolang Peme said once the jet fuel was tested successfully it would be pumped into its refinery.
IOL