In light of the ongoing taxi strike, Cape Town International Airport has issued a statement warning travellers of delays brought on by a lack of staff and advising them to consider adjusting their travel plans by arriving two hours earlier for domestic flights and four hours earlier for international flights.
Also read: Taxi strike update: At least 35 arrests made by law enforcement services
Taxi demonstrations across the Western Cape region have led to a series of road closures, notably affecting the N2 route to and from Cape Town International Airport. Traffic authorities in Cape Town have confirmed that the N2 outbound route has been reopened following their intervention to address incidents of public unrest.
Concerned about the safety of travellers, Cape Town International Airport has issued a statement advising passengers to anticipate potential delays during the check-in process. The airport clarified that it remains fully operational despite the disruptions caused by the taxi strikes.
The statement emphasised that travellers should consider arriving at the airport four hours ahead of their international flights and two hours before their domestic flights due to the current reduction in staffing levels.
‘To ensure a smooth travel experience, passengers are advised to arrive four hours earlier for international travel and two hours earlier for domestic travel as we are working on a reduced staff complement.’
As per IOL, shortly following the reopening of the road leading to the airport, a passenger shared on Twitter, ‘The roads to the Cape Town International Airport are open. Heavy police presence on the roads there. Check-in queues are ‘94 elections long. Add extra travel time for that.’
Another traveller noted that the check-in line for FlySafair appeared to be particularly lengthy. The reduced staffing situation has resulted in a surge of inquiries flooding the airport’s call centre, rendering them unable to handle the volume of calls. As a solution, all incoming calls have been rerouted to OR Tambo International Airport.
Airports Company South Africa has advised passengers to utilise the Airports App to stay informed about any changes to their flight schedules before embarking on their journey from home.
#TaxiStrike Update: Please note that the airport is open and operational. To ensure a smooth travel experience, passengers are advised to arrive 4 hours earlier for International travel and 2 hours earlier for Domestic travel as we are working on a reduced staff complement.
— Cape Town Airport (@capetownint) August 7, 2023
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