41 flights were affected by fuel shortages at OR Tambo International Airport

BusinessTech Africa understands that the fuel shortage at OR Tambo International Airport has affected many flight operators.

This website published on Wednesday that passengers at OR Tambo International were left stranded owing to fuel shortages.

In the latest development, the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) says that challenges with refuelling of aircraft impacted 41 flights at OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday.

ACSA said there was a technical issue with the main supply valve that provides fuel to the apron or the area where the aircraft is parked.

As a result, this caused severe delays to domestic and international departures before a tanker was then used to refuel aircraft.

“Since the commencement of operations until 08:30, when the problem was resolved, a total of 41 flights were impacted, 32 being domestic, eight international and one regional flight,” the statement read per News24.

The refuelling problem started on Wednesday, leaving local and international holiday travellers stranded, BusinessTech Africa, posted.

The South Airports operator, ACSA, said that additional staff members were deployed to assist passengers with queries and that affected airlines and passengers were notified.

“Operations are back to normal except for knock-on effects of late departures this morning leading to delayed returned flights,” the statement read.

Earlier this month, News24 reported that a faulty visibility sensor on the airport’s primary runway led to many problems.

BTA published that passengers at OR Tambo International Airport are currently stranded due to airplane fuel shortages.

It is reported that planes at OR Tambo were grounded on Wednesday due to a shortage of fuel caused by a technical problem at the storage facility.

While Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula disputed the claims, it seems this shortage has left passengers waiting for hours for their flights.

Per TimesLIVE, one frustrated passenger said he was supposed to depart for Cape Town shortly before 6 am, but after two hours sitting in the plane, they were told they could not take off as there was no fuel.