Homegrown domestic and regional airline, Airlink, says it was notified by South African Air Transport Navigation Services (ATNS) on Friday night, July 19, along with all other aircraft operators, that the procedures for instrument navigation flight approaches to certain airports have been suspended indefinitely.
The affected airports are George, Kimberley, Mthatha, Polokwane and Richards Bay and all flights to those airports are affected.
Airlink said in a statement that the approaches which were all originally designed, approved and prescribed by ATNS, are subject to a compliance review which is taking a longer time to complete than had been anticipated.
Under this suspension, pilots are permitted to fly visual approaches under favourable conditions, but at night and during cloudy, misty or rainy weather, visual approaches may not always be permissible.
Rodger Foster, Airlink CEO and MD, said that Airlink would do its best to operate all its flights and to maintain its schedule, but it was possible that some flights would be delayed or in the worst case, cancelled.
“We apologise in advance to any customers who are inconvenienced by this development which is beyond Airlink’s control,” said Foster.
He added: “Given the disruption to our services, the inconvenience to our customers and the likely economic harm to business, trade and to tourism at those cities, Airlink has offered to assist ATNS in securing the services of international experts in airspace and approach procedure design, so that it can expedite the review and reinstate or implement new, fully-compliant procedures.”
Agents are advised to check the status of their clients’ flights to the affected destinations.
The NOTAM issued by ATNS on Friday night also advised that some, but not all, of the flight approaches to OR Tambo International, Cape Town International, Bloemfontein, Upington, Pietermaritzburg and East London had also been suspended. However, Airlink said that its operations to these airports would not be affected as alternative approaches were still available.
