Hundreds of passengers were left stranded at Cape Town International Airport yesterday as low-cost airline Velvet Sky delayed three flights after an apparent contractual dispute.

Velvet Sky flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town and Johannesburg to Durban were also affected.

Passengers who contacted The Times said they had been informed that the airline had used SAA Technical Services but had initially not paid for services rendered. Payment was reportedly later made.

Ant Katz, who had been booked on a 6pm flight to Johannesburg, was still waiting for a flight at the Cape Town airport at 10pm.

He said scores of travellers had been affected by the delays and had been unable to secure bookings with other airlines because it was Budget Day.

Katz and several dozen passengers still at the airport late last night had been told they would need to wait for a flight from Johannesburg.

"We're waiting for the last plane, but it still hasn't taken off," Katz said. "I'm hoping and praying it comes."

A Velvet Sky employee said three flights had been delayed in Cape Town, and several others from Johannesburg, but could not say what the problem was. The employee referred inquiries to Velvet Sky's chief operations officer Gary Webb but said he was only available during office hours.

Radio 702 earlier quoted Webb as saying no flights had been cancelled, but that "a Cape Town flight was delayed for three hours, and a Durban flight for two hours". He added that operations would continue as usual.

According to the report, Airports Company South Africa confirmed that Velvet Sky had delayed several of its flights because the airline had not paid SAA Technical.