Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula conducted an oversight inspection at the airport following an incident last week in which 41 flights were delayed due to refuelling issues.
FILE: Travellers walk near an electronic flight notice board displaying cancelled flights at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on 27 November 2021. Picture: Phill Magakoe/AFP
JOHANNESBURG – Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said that OR Tambo International Airport was ready to handle the rush as the festive season ends.
Mbalula conducted an oversight inspection at the airport following an incident last week in which 41 flights were delayed due to refuelling issues.
The minister said that he had been given assurances by airport staff that plans were in place to prevent a similar incident in the future.
Minister Mbalula said that OR Tambo International Airport had shown a 78% recovery rate from the same time last year.
He said that the airport managed an average of 300 domestic and international flights in December.
Mbalula said that they were expecting high volumes from 6 January as travellers returned home.
“We are happy to report that those issues are a thing of the past as we have managed to stabilise jet fuel stock levels at all our airports to ensure that we have sufficient [fuel] to comfortably meet demand during peak season,” the minister said.
Mbalula, who is likely going to be vacating his ministerial post following his appointment as African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general, said that his successor should focus on capital expenditure projects to improve redundancy mechanisms.
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