OR Tambo Fuel Crunch

Airlines operating through OR Tambo International Airport are making contingency plans after an unplanned shutdown at Sasol’s Natref refinery reduced jet-fuel supplies to South Africa’s busiest airport.

The disruption followed scheduled maintenance at the refinery that was compounded by a technical problem affecting a downstream production unit.

The OR Tambo fuel crunch has prompted some airlines to secure alternative suppliers and consider tankering additional fuel to protect flight schedules.

Sasol refinery outage affects supply

Sasol confirmed that the Natref outage had affected its ability to meet full supply commitments for certain fuel products, including aviation fuel supplied to customers at OR Tambo.

The company said it would continue partially supplying its jet-fuel customers while implementing measures to minimise the disruption.

Technical teams are working to restore normal refinery operations, but Sasol had not publicly confirmed when full jet-fuel production would resume.

Natref, located in Sasolburg in the Free State, is South Africa’s only inland crude-oil refinery. It plays an important role in supplying fuel to Gauteng and the country’s main aviation hub.

Airlines prepare tankering plans

FlySafair has arranged additional supplies from alternative providers to cover any potential shortfall resulting from the Sasol outage.

The airline is also considering a moderate tankering adjustment. Tankering involves an aircraft carrying more fuel than it needs for a particular flight, reducing the amount it must purchase at the destination.

For example, an aircraft flying from Cape Town to Johannesburg could load additional fuel in Cape Town to limit or avoid refuelling at OR Tambo before its next flight.

FlySafair said the combination of alternative fuel supplies and tankering should allow it to maintain sufficient fuel security for its operations.

Other airlines are expected to implement their own contingency measures based on aircraft type, route length, fuel availability and commercial supply agreements.

How tankering affects airlines

Tankering can help airlines maintain flight schedules during temporary fuel shortages, but it comes with financial and operational consequences.

Aircraft carrying additional fuel are heavier and consume more fuel during the flight. Airlines must therefore balance the need to preserve supplies at OR Tambo against the increased cost and fuel consumption associated with transporting extra weight.

Tankering is generally more practical for short-haul and regional flights. Long-distance aircraft require significantly larger quantities of fuel and may have fewer opportunities to refuel at alternative airports.

If the OR Tambo fuel crunch continues, airlines could also consider technical refuelling stops, route adjustments or limited schedule changes.

Government holds emergency meeting

The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources reportedly convened an emergency meeting involving Airports Company South Africa and the Fuels Industry Association of Southern Africa.

The Airlines Association of Southern Africa said the meeting was intended to assess available fuel supplies and coordinate measures to prevent operational disruptions.

OR Tambo is one of Africa’s largest aviation hubs and handles domestic, regional and international passenger and cargo flights. A serious fuel shortage could result in delays, cancellations or unscheduled refuelling stops.

No widespread flight cancellations directly linked to the latest Sasol outage had been announced at the time of publication.

Passengers should nevertheless monitor airline communications and confirm their flight status before travelling to the airport.

Wider pressure on jet-fuel supplies

The Natref disruption comes amid pressure on global jet-fuel supply chains. International fuel flows have reportedly been constrained by conflict affecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important route for global oil and petroleum-product movements.

Neighbouring Namibia has also experienced aviation-fuel supply problems after a contaminated shipment forced a supplier to arrange replacement stock.

Airlines operating across Southern Africa may therefore have fewer alternative refuelling options if supply disruptions occur simultaneously at several airports.

Previous OR Tambo fuel problems

OR Tambo has experienced significant aviation-fuel disruptions before. In December 2024, a failure involving the airport’s refuelling infrastructure caused flight delays and cancellations.

A separate Natref shutdown in January 2025 also prompted authorities to secure imported jet fuel and move supplies from Durban to Gauteng.

These incidents highlighted the importance of diversified supply sources, emergency fuel reserves and resilient transport infrastructure.

The latest OR Tambo fuel crunch will renew questions about whether South Africa’s main airport has sufficient protection against refinery outages and other supply-chain disruptions.

Sasol, fuel suppliers, airport authorities and airlines are expected to continue monitoring supplies while repairs at Natref proceed.