Good Friday passengers at Cape Town airport face early morning pain

Early morning travellers at Cape Town International Airport were met with an unexpected disruption on Good Friday after a power outage forced the airport to switch to generator power.

Airport management confirmed in a public notice on social media that the facility had moved to backup power while technicians worked to restore electricity to the affected network.

“Please be advised that Cape Town International Airport is currently running on generator power due to a power outage. There is minimal operational impact, and our airport staff will be available to assist where needed. We apologise for any inconvenience caused,” the airport said.

Despite the outage, airport authorities assured passengers that essential operations remained functional, with staff deployed across terminals to assist travellers during the temporary disruption.

Cause of the outage

Reports indicate that the outage was caused by kites that became entangled in high-voltage power lines supplying electricity to the surrounding area.

Power utility Eskom said the incident occurred at approximately 03:50, disrupting electricity supply to nearby industrial zones, residential areas and infrastructure linked to airport operations.

Technicians were dispatched shortly after the fault was identified, with power restoration expected later in the morning.

Safety warning issued

Eskom has urged parents and guardians to ensure children avoid flying kites near electrical infrastructure.

The utility warned that objects near power lines pose serious safety risks and such actions are both dangerous and unlawful.