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 disputes 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.
Passenger Goodman Mthombeni told TimesLIVE he was scheduled to leave for the Mother City on a FlySafair flight, but they were told to disembark while they waited for the plane to be refuelled.
“After two hours, we were advised to get off to get food and stretch. It has been four hours and we were told to return because they managed to secure fuel from the supplier,” he told the publication.
“There was an international flight next to us which was meant to depart at 3 am but only left at around 9 am.
“It is chaotic at the terminals. Passengers are frustrated. Some were supposed to connect to other flights and some are waiting to receive people. There are no buses to ferry people to other sides of the airport.”
Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) acknowledged the setback, saying the challenge was getting fuel supplies from the storage facility to the main hydrant system.
“OR Tambo fuel services company used a manual system through fuel browsers to fuel aircraft. Technicians are on-site and have resolved the issue,” said ACSA.
Meanwhile, Tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu has engaged with the Airlines Association of Southern Africa and has been assured Acsa is working hard to resolve the problem.
“On behalf of the government, I wish to apologise profusely to all affected travellers for the inconvenience experienced. I have been assured systems are in place to resolve the delays,” Sisulu said.
