South Africa’s Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has reassured travellers that her ministry is working with Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) and airlines to address a shortage of jet fuel that has crippled operations at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport over the past few days.
Worried about flight delays at the airport since the beginning of the week, Sisulu said she has engaged ACSA and the Airlines Association of Southern Africa to resolve the issue.
“I have been assured that systems are now in place to resolve the delays,” Sisulu confirmed on Friday.
She apologised to all travellers who found themselves stranded when their flights were delayed or cancelled to the fuel shortage.
ACSA said the situation was getting to normal, noting that OR Tambo airport “is open to both travellers and non-travellers.”
“The technical issue was due to the main supply valve supplying fuel to the aprons not opening, thus causing rotational delays to domestic and international departures,” it said.
As a result, some 41 flights were impacted, with 32 of them being domestic, eight international and one regional flight, it said.
NM/jn/APA