Flying through Cape Town on Friday, October 30, 2026, means allowing far more time than usual. Taxi-related unrest in the city kept about half of Cape Town International Airport's staff from reporting for duty, and by 1:00 p.m. local time, 60 flights had been delayed. The worst of it was at domestic departure security screening, where short staffing slowed passengers through the terminal on what is traditionally one of the busiest days of the week for domestic travel.
The delays are long but, so far, not cancellations. Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) reported 44 domestic departures, 11 international departures, and five arrivals delayed, with an average delay of about 60 minutes and no flights cancelled. Airline FlySafair said on social media that its operations were being affected by the unrest and asked passengers worried about missing flights to message it with their flight number so it could check their status.
The airport's advice is blunt: arrive four hours before an international departure and three hours before a domestic flight, until further notice. Travelers should also plan their journey to the airport in advance, monitor traffic updates, and check their flight status with their airline or through the ACSA mobile app. Passengers who have missed a flight should contact their airline directly for assistance.
The disruption at the airport is a knock-on effect of a taxi-industry dispute in the city. The violence stems from longstanding disputes between the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) and the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (CODETA) over routes and operating rights, and shootings in Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, and Delft followed on Tuesday, October 27, and Wednesday, October 28, 2026. A joint operation by the South African Police Service and the City of Cape Town is under way to address the shootings.
Information checked: October 30, 2026.
What Happened at Cape Town International Airport?
On Friday morning, October 30, 2026, long queues formed at security screening at Cape Town International Airport because operational staffing constraints linked to the taxi-related unrest left the airport short of staff. ACSA said about half of its staff did not report for duty because of safety concerns, and it activated business continuity processes at the airport on Friday morning.
The airport issued two travel advisories on Friday: one warning of longer-than-usual queues at security screening, and a second warning of possible traffic disruptions and delays for passengers traveling to and from the airport. The disruption fell on a Friday, traditionally one of the busiest days of the week for domestic travel in South Africa.
Acting Regional General Manager Malcolm Koopman apologized to passengers and said airport teams were working to improve passenger processing times while prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of travelers and staff.
How Bad Were the Delays?
By 13:00 SAST on Friday, October 30, 2026, at least 60 flights had been delayed: 44 domestic departures, 11 international departures, and five arrivals. The average delay stood at approximately 60 minutes.
ACSA confirmed that no flights had been cancelled. Domestic departures were affected most, particularly at the security screening points, where reduced staffing slowed the movement of passengers through the terminal. Some departures were delayed by as much as an hour, and hundreds of passengers were reported gathered in the departures area, with some facing extended check-in waits and concerns about missing their flights.
FlySafair, one of the airlines operating from the airport, said in a social media post that its operations were being affected by unrest in the area and that staff shortages had contributed to delays across several of its flights.
Why Did Taxi Unrest Reach the Airport?
The airport disruption is a side effect of taxi-related violence in parts of Cape Town. City urban mobility mayoral committee member Rob Quintas has said the violence stems from longstanding disputes between the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) and the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (CODETA) over routes and operating rights.
Shootings in Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, and Delft followed on Tuesday, October 27, and Wednesday, October 28, 2026. The unrest made it difficult for some airport employees to get to work, and ACSA said half of its staff did not report for duty on Friday because of safety concerns.
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said a joint operation by the South African Police Service and the City of Cape Town is under way to address the taxi-related shootings, with the agencies watching live footage from hotspots through the City's Joint Public Safety Operations Centre. Provincial Police Commissioner Sizakhele Dyantyi said police have arrested four people in connection with the violence, and the Provincial Taxi Violence Unit is investigating the attacks.
What Is the Airport Doing About It?
ACSA activated its business continuity processes on Friday morning and prioritized resources for terminal operations and security screening. It brought in additional personnel, including staff from other airports, and introduced measures to improve the flow of passengers through security checkpoints.
The airport also freed up apron stands to accommodate arriving aircraft. Koopman said airport teams were doing everything possible to improve processing times while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of everyone at the airport, and the airport said it would continue monitoring the situation and provide further updates if there were significant changes.
On Thursday evening, the taxi industry had committed to resuming minibus taxi services for the Friday morning commute after talks with the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO). Western Cape Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku met SANTACO and CODETA on Thursday, but CATA did not attend, citing prior commitments. Another meeting is planned for Monday, November 2, 2026, and the Western Cape government is preparing an urgent court application to clarify operating rights and plans a formal inquiry into alleged violations by identified taxi associations.
What Should You Do If You Are Flying From Cape Town?
Arrive at least four hours before an international departure and three hours before a domestic flight, until further notice. That is the airport's own recommendation, and it applies while the staffing constraints continue.
Plan the journey to the airport in advance and monitor traffic updates, because the airport has also warned of possible traffic disruptions and delays on the roads to and from the airport due to the unrest. Check your flight status directly with your airline or through the ACSA mobile app before heading to the airport — the airport's advisories say the same.
If you have already missed a flight, contact your airline directly for assistance; FlySafair has also asked affected passengers to message it with their flight number so it can check their status. Do not assume a delayed flight will be cancelled: as of 1:00 p.m. on Friday, no flights had been cancelled, but the situation is still developing.
Will This Affect Flights Tomorrow?
That is not known yet. The airport has not said when normal staffing will return, and its advice to arrive early stands "until further notice." The airport said it would continue monitoring the situation and provide further updates if there were significant changes.
What is scheduled: another round of talks is planned for Monday, November 2, 2026, and the Western Cape government is preparing a court application and a formal inquiry. None of that guarantees the weekend will run normally, and Friday's delays show how quickly a staffing shortage can turn into hour-long queues.
If you are flying from Cape Town this weekend, check your flight status with your airline and the ACSA app before you leave, and build in the extra hours the airport is asking for.
Official Sources
Business Day (TimesLIVE) — Travellers urged to get to Cape Town airport 3-4 hours early after huge delays
Smile 90.4FM — Frustration Mounts at Cape Town Airport as Taxi Unrest Delays 60 Flights
https://smilefm.co.za/frustration-mounts-at-cape-town-airport-as-taxi-unrest-delays-60-flights/
Swisher Post — Cape Town International Airport delays: Queues hit flights
https://www.swisherpost.com/cape-town-buzz/cape-town-international-airport-delays-queues-flights/
Cape Town Etc — Cape Town taxi unrest causes airport delays as passengers face long queues
The National — Cape Town Airport: Heavy delays, long queues amid taxi unrest
This article reflects the Cape Town airport situation as reported on October 30, 2026 and read the same day. The 60 delayed flights (44 domestic departures, 11 international departures, five arrivals), the average delay of about 60 minutes, the absence of cancellations, and the four-hour/three-hour arrival advice are stated consistently by Business Day, Smile FM, and Swisher Post. The figure that about half of airport staff did not report for duty comes from ACSA as quoted by EWN and reported by Swisher Post and SA Tribune; the EWN pages themselves could not be opened directly, so that figure is reported here through those secondary reports. The CATA–CODETA dispute, the October 27–28 shootings, the four arrests, and the planned November 2 meeting are stated by Swisher Post. Casualty figures in coverage differ between outlets and are not stated in this article. Flight counts are as reported at 13:00 SAST on October 30, 2026 and may have changed since — check your flight status with your airline before traveling.