Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) has been grappling with intermittent power outages throughout the week, with the worst disruptions occurring on Tuesday during peak travel hours.
Cape Town Airport is running on emergency power
The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has since announced that the airport will undergo crucial maintenance, requiring it to cut power temporarily and rely on emergency reserves while Eskom technicians carry out repairs.
In a public statement, ACSA confirmed that the scheduled electricity outage will take place from 21:00 on Wednesday, 5 March 2025, to 04:00 on Thursday, 6 March 2025, barring any unforeseen hiccups.
The planned maintenance will affect the entire vicinity of the airport, including Airport Industrial and parts of Bishop Lavis.
ACSA assured travellers that contingency measures are in place to keep flight operations running smoothly, but passengers are advised to check for potential delays and allow extra time for their travel plans.
ACSA responds to days of power struggles
CTIA has been operating on backup power for most of the week, as Eskom technicians work to resolve ongoing electricity disruptions.
The situation peaked on Tuesday when two blackouts struck the airport, raising concerns about the reliability of its infrastructure.
FlySafair Chief Marketing Officer Kirby Gordon confirmed the disruptions to Swisher Post, stating:
“To the best of our understanding, there have been two dips today, but the airport itself would be best placed to give you insight into the actual situation.”
Despite the challenges, ACSA has maintained that flights remain largely unaffected.
However, previous infrastructure failures, including a fuel supply malfunction at OR Tambo International Airport in December 2024, have put ACSA under scrutiny.
This is the third bout of major power-related disruptions at CTIA in 2025, following an outage in January caused by a damaged cable that impacted refuelling and flight schedules.
At the time, airlines criticised ACSA for inadequate infrastructure maintenance, with FlySafair issuing refunds to affected passengers.
As of now, no timeline has been provided for a full resolution, and the extent of the underlying infrastructure issues remains unclear.
