Cape Town airport resumes normal flights after Kenya Airways tire failure

Disruption overview

A tire failure on a Kenya Airways landing at Cape Town International Airport temporarily shut the airport's main runway on Tuesday, causing delays for departing and arriving passengers. The runway reopened later the same evening after emergency crews secured the aircraft, recovery teams removed it, and inspectors completed safety checks. No injuries were reported, but some knock-on delays may continue while airlines reposition aircraft and crews. Passengers were advised to monitor the ACSA app and airline messages for updates, and if your flight was affected, it's worth checking whether EC 261 or local rules may apply to your route.

Disruption details

Flights at Cape Town International Airport were disrupted on Tuesday after a Kenya Airways aircraft suffered a tire failure while landing, forcing the immediate closure of the airport's main runway for several hours.

Airports Company South Africa said the runway was fully reopened later the same evening after emergency crews secured the aircraft, recovery teams removed it, and inspectors completed the required surface checks. No injuries were reported.

For passengers, this meant unexpected waits, changing departure times, and the chance of knock-on delays even after the runway reopened. If you were due to fly later in the day, your trip may still have been affected while airlines worked to get planes and crews back into position.

The incident happened at about 3:25 pm during landing. The disruption appears to have been limited to the Kenya Airways aircraft itself, rather than a wider weather problem or airport-wide technical issue.

Once the aircraft had been cleared from the runway, safety teams inspected the surface before allowing flights to use it again. Normal movements resumed only after the runway was declared safe for service.

Even with operations back to normal, schedules don't reset instantly. Airlines may still need extra time to reposition aircraft and crews, so some delays can continue after the original incident is over.

ACSA thanked travelers, airlines, and other airport partners for their patience and cooperation while the response was underway.

If you're traveling through Cape Town International Airport, keep checking the ACSA mobile app and messages from your airline for updated departure times. That's the quickest way to see whether your flight time has changed as schedules are rebuilt.

If your flight was affected, your rights will depend on the route you were flying and the rules that apply to your ticket. On some journeys covered by EC 261, a long delay linked to a technical issue may still be relevant. Even when compensation isn't clear, airlines may still need to help with rebooking, refunds in some cases, food, drinks, or accommodation during longer disruptions. If you're not sure what applies to your trip, AirHelp's free flight checker can help you understand your options.

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