9 December 2024 – Johannesburg. A technical issue at OR Tambo International Airport’s fueling infrastructure has brought flight movements to and from the airport to a standstill this afternoon.
At approximately 10 AM this morning airlines were alerted to a technical issue affecting the airport’s fueling infrastructure which means that the airport is unable to provide fuel to aircraft. The result is that several flights have been severely delayed as aircraft fill the spaces at OR Tambo creating traffic constraints.
This disruption is set to have a ripple-effect across the country as aircraft intended for flights on other routes get stuck at OR Tambo awaiting restoration of the fuel supply.
“We urge our customers to keep a keen eye on their WhatsApp and SMS messages” says Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair, who explained that the airline will be actively updating their customers with whatever information they have. “At this stage we do not have specific timelines from the team at OR Tambo but as soon as we do, we will communicate details and confirmed departures to customers”.
In an online statement ACSA apologised to passengers for and disruptions and thanked customers for their understanding and patience.
Cirium Aviation Analytics reported last week that FlySafair remained the most punctual airline in Africa for the first six months of this year and the airline looks set to take the title of most punctual in the world again this year.
“Challenges like this are obviously frustrating and costly to both us and our customers and we deeply appreciate our customer’s understanding of the fact that these challenges are outside of our control. Our teams are working double-time to ensure that we minimise disruptions, get these aircraft moving as soon as possible, and keep our customers up to date as best we can”.
Ends.