News

Industries

Companies

Jobs

Events

People

Video

Audio

Galleries

My Biz

Submit content

My Account

Advertise with us

Acsa reports strong peak travel period and outlook for 2026

Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) has announced a successful performance during the 2024 peak travel period, achieving a 91% recovery to pre-pandemic levels and a 5% year-on-year increase in total passenger traffic.
Source: 4045 via
Source: 4045 via Freepik

This marked the culmination of a busy festive season with strong growth in passenger volumes.

The company processed 3,705,778 passengers in December 2024. The recovery was driven by the return of critical international airline routes, new airline entrants, and a boost in flight frequencies.

The busiest day during the peak period was 13 December 2024, processing 139,935 passengers and 1,139 air traffic movements.

“This success is a testament to the commitment of our team and the strength of our infrastructure, which allowed us to meet and exceed expectations during one of the busiest times of the year,” says Mpumi Mpofu, Acsa CEO.

OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA), Cape Town International Airport (CTIA), and King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) also all achieved or exceeded their traffic projections.

Operational incidents

Despite its strong performance, Acsa faced operational challenges at two major airports requiring immediate response and resolution.

Fuel supply disruption at ORTIA: On 9 December 2024, ORTIA experienced a disruption in its fuel supply when the Feeder Line Actuated Valve at the airport's bulk Jet A1 fuel storage facility failed, halting fuelling operations for approximately 4 hours.

The valve was repaired, and a replacement valve was installed on 11 December.

Biometric system delays at border management: Between 15 and 16 December 2024, the Border Management Agency (BMA) experienced delays at ORTIA due to issues with the Biometric Movement Control System.

Acsa collaborated with the BMA, advising passengers to arrive three hours before departure and activating older Electronic Movement Control System (EMCS) counters. As a result, queue times were reduced by 60-75%.

Power supply disruptions at CTIA: On 22 January 2024, CTIA experienced a power failure after a fault at the substation led to a cable failure. Power was restored by 4pm, and ACSA has since implemented measures to improve system redundancy.

Fuel supply disruptions due to NATREF Refinery shutdown: On 4 January 2025, a fire at the NATREF refinery caused a shutdown, cutting off 72% of the region’s fuel supply.

Acsa, in collaboration with partners, secured 121.1 million litres of jet fuel for ORTIA, which is being transported from Durban via rail and pipeline.

Positive outlook for 2026

Looking ahead, Mpofu says that it remains focused on recovering pre-pandemic levels while diversifying its revenue streams to mitigate risks in the aviation sector.

Although passenger traffic in South Africa has not fully returned to 2019 levels, the industry’s financial health has improved significantly, as seen in the recovery in profitability.

“The travel sector has been marked by persistent demand, and we are optimistic about the future. We look forward to continued passenger and cargo traffic growth in the coming financial year (FY 2025/26),” says Mpofu.

Looking forward, Mpofu says the focus will remain on enhancing the passenger experience, ensuring its airports are prepared for increased traffic, and maintaining the operational excellence passengers expect.

“Despite some challenges, our ability to navigate these complexities and maintain a high standard of service is a reflection of the resilience of our staff and the strength of our team,” said Mpofu.

“Our outlook for FY 2025/26 is positive, and we are committed to leveraging this momentum to further improve and grow the Acsa network.”

Let's do Biz