A STRIKE at Johannesburg International airport has grounded over 50 planes, including one bound for the Face of Africa modelling competition, and passengers leaving one flight were assaulted an eyewitness told the Mail & Guardian’s Belinda Beresford. The protest is over an allegedly faulty tender process for some airport services. One British Airways flight unloaded its passengers who were assaulted by strikers as they walked to the terminal, the witness said. The plane carrying passengers heading for the Face of Africa Competition managed to take off, but developed rudder problems, forcing it to land again only to be held up by the strike.