South African Carriers Race to Secure Jet Fuel as Natref Refinery Woes Threaten O.R. Tambo Supply
South Africa's aviation sector is on high alert as concerns grow over a potential jet-fuel shortage tied to operational difficulties at the Natref refinery. For African travel professionals with clients flying in and out of Johannesburg, the situation is one to watch carefully, as it holds the potential to disrupt schedules across one of the continent's busiest aviation gateways.
At the heart of the concern is Natref, the Sasolburg-based refinery jointly owned by Sasol and TotalEnergies, which supplies a significant share of the jet fuel used at O.R. Tambo International Airport. When a facility of this importance experiences operational hiccups, the ripple effects extend far beyond the refinery gates. Airlines depending on smooth fuel logistics at Johannesburg's principal hub have been forced to move quickly to safeguard their networks.
Leading the response is low-cost carrier FlySafair, which has openly acknowledged that it is sourcing additional fuel from alternative suppliers to keep its schedules intact. The airline has also turned to a well-known but rarely publicised industry tactic known as fuel tankering. This practice involves aircraft carrying extra fuel from a station where supply is plentiful or cheaper, so that they can operate the next sector without needing to refuel at the destination airport. In an environment where supply is uncertain, tankering becomes a valuable operational tool, allowing carriers to sidestep bottlenecks and maintain reliable services for passengers.
The current disruption at Natref is putting real pressure on jet-fuel availability at O.R. Tambo, which handles the vast majority of South Africa's international and long-haul traffic. Any prolonged shortfall would inevitably strain not only domestic carriers but also international airlines that turn around fuel-thirsty wide-body aircraft in Johannesburg on daily rotations to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and other parts of Africa. So far, encouragingly, no widespread flight cancellations have been reported, and the airport continues to function normally on the surface. Behind the scenes, however, airline planning departments and fuel suppliers are working around the clock to keep operations flowing.
For the wider sub-Saharan aviation community, the Natref episode is a timely reminder of how fragile the fuel supply chain can be, and how heavily African hubs still depend on a small number of refining and import facilities. Similar vulnerabilities have surfaced in Nigeria, Kenya, and other markets over recent years, showing that jet-fuel resilience is not merely a South African challenge but a continental one. It underlines the importance of diversified sourcing, strong pipeline and storage infrastructure, and close coordination between refiners, airport operators, and carriers.
From a commercial perspective, fuel tankering also carries trade-offs that professionals should understand. While it protects schedules, carrying extra fuel adds weight, which in turn increases fuel burn and cost. Environmental considerations also come into play, as tankering can raise carbon emissions per flight. For airlines like FlySafair, which pride themselves on lean operations and competitive fares, the decision to tanker is therefore a short-term protective measure rather than a long-term strategy.
For travel trade partners across sub-Saharan Africa, the practical message is clear. Travellers routed through Johannesburg should be advised to keep an eye on their flight status, particularly during peak periods, and to allow reasonable buffers when planning multi-leg journeys through the region. Corporate travel managers and tour operators may also wish to have contingency options mapped out until Natref returns to normal output.
Looking ahead, the situation reinforces a bigger truth: as African aviation grows toward the anticipated boom in leisure and business travel over the coming decade, fuel security must sit at the very top of the industry's agenda. Investment in refining capacity, alternative supply routes, and, in time, sustainable aviation fuels will define which African hubs can support the next wave of connectivity — and which will find themselves grounded by avoidable supply shocks.
