Jet fuel crunch may ground regional flights in South Africa

A looming jet fuel supply crunch in Southern Africa is raising concern among airlines, with operators warning that uncertainty over availability beyond May could disrupt schedules and push up costs across the region.

The Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) said the lack of certainty on fuel supply is now a bigger threat than pricing alone.

Jet fuel in Southern Africa has more than tripled from about R8.50 a litre in mid-February to more than R30 by mid-April. In landlocked countries such as Malawi, prices have surged beyond R50 a litre.

Behind the scenes, the airline is already looking at contingency measures if the situation worsens.

Our fuel procurement team is encouraging our various suppliers to identify alternative sources. So far we have not had to cancel any routes, but if the situ