Passengers at OR Tambo International Airport faced significant delays on Monday after the Border Management Authority’s (BMA) Biometric Movement Control System (BMCS) malfunctioned. The glitch caused long queues at immigration, with the system, vital for passport control, becoming unresponsive.
Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) confirmed the issue, noting that BMA technicians were working to resolve the situation. In the meantime, Acsa deployed extra staff to manage the crowds and reduce waiting times. “We apologise for the inconvenience and thank passengers for their patience,” Acsa said, urging travellers to allow more time for processing during the disruption.
The delays come as the festive season picks up, raising concerns about the airport’s ability to manage the expected increase in passenger traffic.
Ongoing Operational Challenges at OR Tambo
The incident follows other operational challenges at OR Tambo in recent weeks. On 9 December, Acsa acknowledged refueling issues that disrupted flight schedules. This came just days after South African Airways (SAA) resumed operations following a three-day strike by its pilots, which had caused the airline to cancel 60% of its flights.
