Committee to help air traffic services get back on track

Update

GEORGE NEWS - The nationwide air traffic crisis, caused by the Air Traffic and Navigation Services' (ATNS') failure to renew instrument flight procedures at George and other South African airports, is having a major financial impact - not only on airlines and passengers, but on the wider economy.

This is according to Aaron Munetsi, CEO of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA).

Munetsi said the consequences of having to navigate the disruption of flights, also impact farmers exporting perishables, manufacturers meeting contracts, e-commerce, couriers, healthcare services like pathology labs, pharmaceutical suppliers, blood banks, and emergency medical services.

Last week was a repeat of many previous instances where hundreds of passengers booked on flights to and from George Airport experienced the chaos, uncertainty and extra costs involved in having to make alternative travelling arrangements because of cancelled flights.

But the crisis will hopefully be resolved in due time, according to the Department of Transport (DOT), that announced last week that an expert committee will be working with ATNS for the next six months to help it get back on track.

Five-yearly flight procedures reviewing

An airline insider who wishes to remain anonymous explained to George Herald that the flight procedures of every instrument landing system (ILS) in the country must be reviewed by ATNS every five years.

However, for 12 years, ATNS has neglected this duty. This happened under the watch of the South African Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa) whose role is to "regulate and promote civil aviation safety and security" (in Sacaa's own words).

It was only after Sacaa was audited in April 2023 by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (Icao) that the issue came to light. At the time, the flight procedures at 11 airports were suspended.

More than a year later, in August 2024, when the situation was still not rectified, the new National Transport Minister Barbara Creecy intervened, ordering ATNS to come up with a plan to update the flight procedures.

According to the DOT, Creecy then convened regular meetings between the aviation industry and ATNS to monitor the implementation of the plan. By December 2024, the flight procedures for George Airport's runway 11, which had been a priority due to the peak season, had still not been updated.

Experts to aid ATNS plan implementation

This led Creecy to appoint a committee of aviation experts on 13 December to investigate the root causes of the problems experienced.

Announcing the findings of the committee last week, DOT confirmed ATNS' failure of flight procedures maintenance and said the communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) systems at South African airports are not "as reliable as they should be".

The committee had also identified a shortage in critical staff such as flight procedure designers, surveyors, technical support staff, engineers and training instructors.

The committee will now work with ATNS for six months to accelerate staff recruitment, undertake an urgent upgrade of the CNS systems, and ensure that the maintenance of the instrument flight procedures is done. Governance processes at ATNS are also to be improved, according to the DOT.

Sacaa was approached for comment regarding its failure to enforce the required maintenance of the flight procedures by ATNS and on aspects regarding the approval of George Airport's flight procedures. At the time of going to print, no response had been received.

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