OR Tambo faces more delays

Due to immigration system glitch.

Passengers at OR Tambo International Airport experienced yet another disruption on Monday. Technical issues with the Border Management Authority’s (BMA) Biometric Movement Control System (BMCS) led to extended queues at immigration.

Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) confirmed that the BMCS, essential for passport control, had been unresponsive, leading to longer-than-usual waiting times. Despite efforts by BMA technicians to resolve the issue, passengers faced significant delays. Acsa noted that it deployed additional personnel to manage the situation and was working closely with the BMA to expedite passenger processing.

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“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank passengers for their patience and understanding,” Acsa said, advising travellers to allocate extra time when heading to the airport during this period of disruption.

Recent operational challenges raise holiday travel concerns

The delays at immigration come amid a string of operational challenges at OR Tambo International Airport.

On Monday, 9 December, Acsa acknowledged “refueling challenges” at the airport, impacting flight schedules just two days after South African Airways (SAA) pilots ended a three-day strike. The strike had forced the airline to cancel 60% of its flights before resuming normal operations.

With the festive season underway, these repeated disruptions have sparked renewed concerns about the airport’s preparedness to manage the holiday rush. Travellers are encouraged to stay updated on developments and plan accordingly to avoid further inconvenience.

Read/listen:
‘OR Tambo International is a national embarrassment’
Acsa to ‘do the right thing’ for passengers impacted by flight disruptions

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