Cape Town OR Tambo International Airport is facing a fuel supply shortage due to a delayed arrival of jet fuel supplies. As a result, the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has had to ration the available fuel, causing delays with both domestic and international departures.
The fuel shortage was caused by rough seas delaying an oil tanker’s delivery of the product to the port. This led to the imposition of rationing and the cancellation of a scheduled flight by American carrier United Airlines from Newark, New Jersey, to Cape Town.
In October, the tanker carrying fuel was eventually docked and ACSA spokesperson Gopolang Peme said that once the jet fuel was tested successfully it would be pumped into its refinery. However, there is still uncertainty about the availability and expensive transport costs of jet fuel in South Africa. This means travellers will have to continue to face delays and restrictions when flying from Cape Town International Airport.
To prevent further delays, ACSA is taking steps to reduce the impact of the fuel shortage. This includes deploying technicians to the OR Tambo Fuel Services Company to resolve issues and monitor the situation. ACSA is also working to ensure airlines remain within their fuel limits when flying from Cape Town International Airport.
