Cape Town - Airlines have been given their allocation of Jet fuel for the next few days, following emergency talks at the weekend about low fuel supply reserves at Cape Town International Airport (CTIA).
This after Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) on Friday said it had learned that some Jet A1 fuel suppliers are running low on supply reserves at CTIA, due to factors impacting one of the major suppliers of fuel to the airlines.
Given the reduction in supply, a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was published on Saturday morning to request airlines to engage their suppliers and to limit uplift where required, ACSA said.
“Our fuel suppliers are closely engaging impacted airlines to reduce operational impact. In a bid to speedily resolve the issue, ACSA is currently facilitating discussions between fuel suppliers, airlines and other stakeholders to ensure that adequate levels of fuel stock are available, to ensure continuity of operations. Subsequently a meeting held (Saturday), a major fuel supplier advised that the production of Jet A1 has improved over the past 24 hours and additional product (road tankering and imports) has been prioritised to supplement local production.
“ACSA is closely monitoring the situation with fuel suppliers, specifically the JET A1 delivery rates to the airport. The fuel suppliers, with support from ACSA, will continue to engage all impacted operators and will do everything possible to prevent cancellations and minimise disruption,” ACSA said in a statement.
According to ACSA, the impact on flights are minimal, and with engagements at an advanced stage, ACSA is hopeful that the fuel suppliers will provide the necessary quantity of fuel to the airlines, and source additional fuel stocks to maintain continuity of operations.
Travellers have been requested to monitor their flight schedules and stay informed via the ACSA App and the relevant airline websites.
Cape Times