Minister gives Air Traffic Navigation deadline to resolve flight instrument crisis causing delays at SA airports

Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy has given Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS) two weeks to resolve the navigation suspension at some South African airports.

Creecy convened an urgent oversight meeting to discuss the ongoing flight delays at various airports across the country.

Suspended procedures at airports

This meeting came after ATNS  suspended procedures for all instrument-navigation flight approaches at airports in George, Kimberley, Polokwane, Mthatha and Richards Bay indefinitely on Friday

The suspension has severely affected flights to these airports.

Other airports, including OR Tambo, Cape Town, Upington and East London seem to still have at least one approved approach available.

Urgent meeting with government

Transport department spokesperson Collen Msibi said Creecy convened an urgent meeting with all transport aviation entities including ATNS. Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) and the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA).

“The meeting was necessitated by the ongoing flight delays at various Airports in the Country. In the meeting, the minister emphasised the need for the ATNS to get to the root cause of this problem. While doing so, the minister emphasised that it is critical that no corners must be cut in relation to safety.

“The meeting also agreed that ATNS must, as a matter of urgency, develop a comprehensive plan for consideration and approval by the minister. The plan must be costed with realistic timeframes as well as indicate the technical capacity required to review all flight instrument procedures,” Msibi said.

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Plan submission deadline

Msibi added that Air Traffic Navigation Services was instructed to submit this plan within two weeks from the date of the meeting.

“Once an acceptable plan is in place, it will be shared with the aviation industry and the nation. The Minister has also taken the opportunity to apologise to the travelling public for the ongoing flight delays and gives assurance that the ATNS is working on a plan to solve the root cause of this problem without compromising safety.”

Maintenance programme at airports

Air Traffic Navigation Services explained that the ongoing crisis is mainly due to a maintenance programme for instrument flight procedures that it is conducting at the airports.

It said under the suspension, pilots may fly visual approaches in favourable weather conditions. However, at night or during cloudy, misty or rainy weather, approaches may not be permissible.

“These procedures are based on South African Civil Aviation Authority and International Civil Aviation Organisation procedures for air navigation services — aircraft operations (ICAO Pan-Ops) design criteria which change from time to time. As part of the process, the procedures are being reviewed and updated to meet the current ICAO Pan-Ops criteria and advances in technology,” Air Traffic Navigation Services. said.

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