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."
