Flights departing from O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg were delayed for up to three hours today due to layers of ice covering the aircraft following snowfalls in the area.

SEND US YOUR SNOW PICTURES: If you would like to get your own photograph published on the website, email us at tellus@sowetan.co.za. Just remember to tell us in the email where the photograph was taken, and the name of the person who took the photograph please

The airport emergency services had to use fire trucks to hose down grounded planes covered with layers of ice and snow, Airports Company SA spokeswoman Tasniem Patel said.

“This was done to expedite the melting process because when ice forms on an aircraft it affects the lift — the ability of the aircraft to take off and fly normally,” added Mango airline spokesman Hein Kaiser.

Flights arriving in Johannesburg were also delayed by 15 minutes as they had to wait for parking bays to free up.

But Patel said an Air Traffic Navigation Service (ATNS) was being used to increase the frequency of flights taking off in order to reduce congestion at the airport.

She advised passengers to contact the airlines they have booked with to ascertain “the status of the flights”.

The delays at the Johannesburg airport also affected operations in Durban.

Acsa spokesman at the Durban airport, Collen Naidoo, said flights scheduled to depart to and arrive from Johannesburg were delayed following the snowfall.

“Our flights to other areas were not affected but those that had to leave for Johannesburg were delayed to avoid congestion at that airport.”

Patel said delays experienced in Durban applied to the Cape Town airport as well.

Sapa