The Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) has confirmed its airport network has sufficient jet fuel stocks at the country’s three main airports.
Worldwide the shortage of jet fuel as a result of the conflict in the Middle East and the blockage of fuel shipments through the Strait of Hormuz has resulted in major international airlines having to reduce flight schedules, cancel flights and impose fuel surcharges.
The price of jet fuel has skyrocketed, more than doubling since the start of the year, and as result South African airlines have imposed a temporary fuel surcharge on tickets to recoup some of the additional cost.
Chief marketing officer of low-cost airline FlySafair Kirby Gordon noted fuel typically made up 50% to 55% of FlySafair’s direct operating costs. At current price levels, the airline estimated an additional cost of around R35,000 per flight hour for each Boeing 737-800 aircraft in operation.
Acsa group spokesperson Ofentse Dijoe said:
- OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) in Johannesburg maintained between six and seven days’ cover of fuel stocks;
- Cape Town International Airport had four days’ cover; and
- Durban’s King Shaka International Airport more than 15 days’ cover.
“We have not cancelled any flights due to lack or shortage of fuel since the Middle East crisis began,” Dijoe said.
Acsa did not itself purchase fuel or decide how much was supplied to airlines as those agreements were the responsibility of fuel suppliers, he said.
“Fuel suppliers responsible for maintaining jet fuel stocks at the airports have informed us they are looking at all available options to ensure they are able to honour their commitments to their customers.
“It should also be noted that Natref, South Africa’s only inland refinery based in Sasolburg, Free State, is online and supplying most of the fuel to ORTIA and is expected to continue running in this time.”
Business Day
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