Inbound industry association, SATSA, has called for immediate corrective measures in response to the recent indefinite suspension of Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) for instrument-based approaches at South African airports.

This indefinite suspension, affecting airports such as George, Kimberley, Polokwane, Mthatha, Upington, East London, Skukuza and Richards Bay, has severely disrupted domestic air travel. Major international gateways like OR Tambo and Cape Town International Airports are also operating with limited capacity.

Instrument Flight Procedures are indispensable for ensuring the safe and efficient operation of aircraft, particularly under Instrument Flight Rule conditions where visibility is compromised. These procedures are meticulously designed to account for terrain and obstacles, providing pilots with the necessary guidance to navigate safely in adverse weather conditions and during night-time operations. The current suspension is due to a lapse in the regular maintenance and re-evaluation of these procedures, a process that is fundamental to their ongoing safety and efficacy.

The result has been widespread flight delays, diversions and cancellations, leaving passengers stranded and causing significant consequences for the country's tourism and economy.

“The inability to promptly update and maintain these critical procedures not only jeopardises flight safety but also undermines confidence in our aviation system,” said David Frost, CEO SATSA. 

Voicing strong concerns, Frost added that the shutdown came without consultation with or warning to the industry it affects. Further, no timeline has been given, to allow the travel and tourism industry to make contingency plans.

‘Flying blind’

"Instead, we have a situation where we are literally “flying blind” with no communication on how long this shutdown will endure and hence no ability to mitigate the impact to our travellers and businesses,” Frost continued.

“The government and relevant authorities must act swiftly to rectify this situation and confirm what the timelines are so that we can plan appropriately. We urge the Minister of Transport to prioritise the immediate reinstatement of these essential services and to implement stringent oversight mechanisms to ensure this does not happen again.”

Aaron Munetsi, CEO of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa has called on Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy, to intervene and ensure these avoidable failures are resolved, and fast.  

He explained that the withdrawal of flight approaches, which are aviation’s equivalent to blocking motorway offramps, is forcing airlines to divert, delay or cancel flights, especially at those airports where all the previously available approaches have been suspended.

“For those particular airports, landings are now only permitted when there is sufficient clear visibility at a height above the ground and beneath any clouds, from where pilots can safely descend and touchdown on the runway.  However, this is impossible when there is fog, smog, low-lying mist and rain, which are prevalent in winter during the early mornings and late afternoons andevenings.”

‘Financial hammer blow to airlines’

Munetsi said flight schedule disruptions are “financial hammer blows” to airlines. Their customers lose confidence resulting in lost sales, ticket cancellations and refunds. Simultaneously, they are saddled with additional costs, including extra fuel and ground handling for diverted flights, re-accommodating passengers, and landing and parking charges at the diversion airports.

They also have to pay ATNS for the extra en-route navigation and air traffic control charges associated with any diversions.

“These suspensions also have serious harmful economic ramifications for businesses, industry, trade, essential and emergency services as well as people’s livelihoods in towns such as Kimberley, George, Polokwane, Mthatha and Richards Bay, whose airports are the worst-affected by the suspensions,” added Munetsi.

ATNS responds

ATNS COO, Josia Manyakoana, said progress was being made with regard to the maintenance programme, and that ATNS will be submitting all procedures related to the affected airports to the South African Civil Aviation Authority by the end of August.

“We continue to strengthen our safety protocols in the design of these procedures hence the slight delay in finalising the project,” he said.

ATNS noted in a press statement that it had updated all its major stakeholders, including airlines and the travelling public, that the ongoing instrument flight procedure maintenance programme needed to be carried out as part of routine global safety protocols.

The procedures are based on both local and international design standards and are currently under review to align with global advancements in aviation technology and safety requirements, emphasised Manyakoana,

He added that the state-owned company also mentioned that it was mobilising all available resources at its disposal to deliver on this project.

Manyakoana highlighted that the primary objective is to minimise any impact on safety and operational flight delays. “ATNS deeply regrets the inconvenience caused to all affected parties and stakeholders who utilise our airspace regularly during this time.”

Further transport-related challenges

Representing the interests of South Africa's inbound tourism sector, SATSA has further called on Creecy to meet with industry associations whose members operations are often impacted by transport regulations and issues.

Frost said: “For years, we have been plagued by unacceptable delays in the issuing of National Public Transport Regulation licenses. This ongoing issue directly hinders the operations of our members, preventing them from operating their vehicles legally.

“The department has acknowledged they are not processing 2023/24 renewals and are only addressing a backlog of applications lodged between 2018 and 2021. This is outrageous considering the number of outstanding applications for SATSA members alone: 79 operators and 289 vehicles.”

Frost said this was yet another stark illustration where constructive dialogue between the tourism private sector and the Department of Transport is desperately needed. “This will not only alleviate the current bottleneck but also help to strengthen South Africa’s tourism economy in the long run.”