South Africa’s jet fuel supply has become a traveller problem, an airline planning problem, and a national economic concern.
The number of the day is five, drawn from the average days of jet fuel cover at two of the country’s busiest airports. ACSA says OR Tambo International Airport has between five and six days of jet fuel cover, while Cape Town International Airport has between four and five days. King Shaka International Airport is better stocked, with more than 15 days of cover.
Gareth Edwards and Francis Herd ask the question sitting behind the official reassurance: Does five days sound like enough?
ACSA says stocks are stable and fuel suppliers are exploring options to keep commitments to airlines. NATREF is also online and supplies most of the fuel to OR Tambo. But airlines want certainty beyond the immediate window, especially as regional jet fuel pressure, rising prices and route planning risks continue to build.
For passengers, the issue becomes painfully practical. Would you book a flight for Mother’s Day, July holidays or a school break if fuel availability and ticket surcharges are part of the same conversation?
Francis explains why airlines need to know what fuel will be available before aircraft land, how uncertainty can force planes to carry extra fuel, and why that may reduce passenger capacity. Gareth brings it back to the ordinary South African trying to book a trip without wondering whether the route, price or schedule might change.
Five days. Stable for now, but not exactly comforting.
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