Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) has now implemented a revised turnaround plan that is starting to bear fruit, after weeks of ongoing flight delays at various South African airports.

After a September 12 meeting when the initial plan to lift the suspension of instrument approaches to various airports was presented to stakeholders, the industry has now endorsed a revision of the original plan.

ATNS said there had now been progress on the approval statuses of instrument flight procedure maintenance. Five instrument flight procedures have now been approved by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) for OR Tambo International Airport and Polokwane International Airport.

Instrument flight procedures for Mthatha, King Phalo and Kimberley Airports are still awaiting approval from SACAA.

In terms of addressing its capacity shortage, ATNS revealed that two contractors had been secured after being assessed and validated by SACAA, and that a third would undergo the licensing process and would be contracted by September 30.

ATNS said the reason for the delays in the audit of instrument approaches was due to the approval process between ATNS and SACAA. SACAA said it would partner with members of the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation for technical capacity and support to speed up this process.

At a September 26 meeting, Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy expressed her appreciation to the travelling public for their patience as the instrument flight procedures maintenance programme continued. The meeting was attended by the Airports and Aerodrome Association of Southern Africa, the Airlines Association of Southern Africa, Lanseria International Airport, the International Air Transport Association, Airports Company South Africa as well as the Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa.

ATNS will provide further updates on progress at the next meeting in two weeks.