Update: This article has been updated to include ACSA's feedback.
Flights in and out of OR Tambo International Airport were delayed by 40 minutes on Friday evening after an electrical storm interfered with operations.
Agents reported on Open Jaw by Travelinfo that clients were affected by delays on Airlink, Mango and FlySafair flights, but were unaware of the cause of the delays. eTNW understands that other airlines flying into/out of OR Tambo were similarly affected.
The airlines told eTNW that electrical storms would always affect operations, calling it ‘unavoidable’. eTNW understands that airlines rely on the airport’s Air Traffic Control to notify them of changes as the result of an electrical storm, and that these notifications are not able to be communicated to the airlines with much advance notice.
Agents can inform clients that during the rainy-season these delays are possible.
Acsa told eTNW, "Should a storm be found within a 5kms radius then Airport Management via its Airport Management Centre (AMC) will inform the various service providers operating at the airport, on the ground, of the impending storm. Due to safety reasons, operations will be limited, should the storm be within this radius. All parties involved then work together to normalise operations due to adverse weather conditions experienced. As Acsa we are currently working with the South African Weather Service, in order to improve the forecasting of adverse weather conditions."
