In another display of SA’s fragile infrastructure, a refuelling issue at OR Tambo International Airport wreaked havoc on Monday, grounding flights, frustrating passengers and threatening to erode the country’s image as a top-tier tourist spot.
The disruption, caused by a faulty valve that was fixed in the afternoon, led to hours-long delays for destinations including Nairobi, Mauritius, Abu Dhabi and Antananarivo.
The system failure led to 54 flights being cancelled or delayed at the airport, which gave an assurance that the situation had been resolved but could not guarantee the problem would not recur.
The latest bout of operational hiccups at Airport Company SA (Acsa) comes as the airport operator deploys almost R22bn to revamp its infrastructure at several airports, including OR Tambo International, Cape Town and George.
The disruption occurs at an inopportune time for the country, which is gearing up to welcome thousands of foreign investors for the Christmas break.
Tourism is one of the lifelines of the economy, contributing almost 10% to SA’s R7-trillion-plus GDP and creating tens of thousands of jobs.
Acsa regional GM Jabulani Khambule said the problem arose from a broken gearbox shaft causing a fuel valve to be stuck closed, with the airport unable to provide fuel to any aircraft before a replacement part was installed later in the day.
“We may not be able to predict where a mechanical failure might happen,” Khambule said.
“What is important is that we have spares on site to make sure that when we have an issue, we can attend to it as soon as possible.”
Acsa has been plagued by other technical difficulties recently, pointing to growing problems in the industry over the past few months. In July, the Air Traffic and Navigation Services suspended hundreds of flight procedures after the agency missed a deadline to review and amend any flight procedures that needed updating.
Concern
Without Air Traffic and Navigation Services, pilots have to rely on their skills and other navigation methods, making it likely that flights to and from SA airports over the peak summer season will experience delays and cancellations, especially in bad weather.
The Airlines Association of Southern Africa expressed concern over the failure of the main valve in the refuelling, urging Acsa to expedite the installation of the backup bypass line promised as part of the fuel supply resilience plan after the previous main supply valve failure in 2022.
“Though Acsa has temporarily opened the fuel line, there is a long backlog of flights to be refuelled,” the association said.
Airlines were alerted to the technical issue affecting the airport’s fuelling infrastructure at 10am.
FlySafair, a low-cost airline, said the disruption was set to have a ripple effect across the country as planes destined for other routes get stuck at OR Tambo awaiting the restoration of the fuel supply.
The disruption left passengers fuming in overcrowded departure lounges. Ronald Gordon took to X to share his frustration: “Departure lounge overflowing. No aircraft leaving. The situation is bad. No info available.” Linsey Dyer criticised the Acsa mobile app, noting its shortcomings: “Go to the app, the notice says. Unable to subscribe to the flight on the app.”
Adding to Acsa’s woes, SA’s reduced jet fuel refining capacity after the closure of Sapref, which was the largest refinery, has increased operational risks and potential disruption. The country’s reliance on imported fuel has created vulnerabilities and any delays in importation can lead to shortages.
Last month, Business Day reported that SA Revenue Service (Sars) commissioner Edward Kieswetter had granted special permission for paraffin fuel to be imported over the next year. Sars said that the special permission, from October 21 2024 until October 20 2025, was granted to allow parties to attend to the complexities involved in the deregistration of manufacturing warehouses and reregistration of affected storage facilities.
The announcement followed concerns raised by Acsa and the Fuels Industry Association of SA, warning of a jet fuel shortage ahead of the busy peak festive season that could hamper SA’s busiest airports, including King Shaka International and OR Tambo International airports.
The disruption follows on the heels of SA Airways announcing the suspension of its pilot strike. The strike, initiated by the SAA Pilots Association, had the potential to take on an important player in the aviation industry, further frustrate passengers and tarnish the country’s reputation as a tourism destination.
With TimesLIVE
Update: December 9 2024
This story has been updated with new information.
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