Leading aviation authorities have split opinions on the ongoing fuel shortage – Photo: Unsplash
Leading aviation authorities have split opinions on the ongoing fuel shortage – Photo: Unsplash
In a country where the lights won’t stay on, and water supplies aren’t always reliable, we might as well add FUEL SHEDDING into the mix. Cape Town International Airport is currently experience shortages, when it comes to one of the most precious commodities of all.
Fuel shedding reported at Cape Town International Airport
At the start of the week, it was revealed that jet fuel reserves were extremely stretched, with one source declaring that their supply ‘would only last for another four days’. This has prompted a set of directives amongst domestic airlines, encouraging them to ‘fill up elsewhere’.
Not only are supplies running low, but a shipment to replenish the reserves has been DELAYED for a few days. This means that, as of 28 September, Cape Town International Airport is essentially in a period of fuel shedding. The situation has barely improved since Monday.
Aviation authorities clash over ‘shortages’
Gopolang Peme is a spokesperson for ACSA. He bullishly claimed that this situation would have ‘zero impact’ on passengers, and said it’s very much ‘business as normal’ in the Mother City. However, a different aviation authority is disputing this version of events.
The Airlines Association of Southern Africa has raised the alarm over so-called fuel shedding this week. They believe that disruptions and delays are ‘now likely’. That’s because domestic flights are now carrying more fuel than required in order to counteract this crisis.
Fuel shedding could lead to ‘significant flights disruptions’
It’s not a sustainable model, however, and the AASA is predicting a round of mass cancellations ‘very soon’:
“These restrictions are now likely to result in disruptions to airline schedules and possibly cancelled flights at a time when the industry and the economy can ill afford it. Our local and regional short-haul airlines are carrying more than optimally required for a single flight.”
“However, to maintain their schedules in doing so, they must incur additional costs as the extra fuel load increases the overall weight of each plane, in turn burning more fuel just to carry the extra contingency supply.” | Airlines Association of Southern Africa
