Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) plan to fix on-going flight delays presented to aviation industry
The Minister of Transport, Ms. Barbara Creecy, convened a meeting with the aviation industry for Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) to share their comprehensive turnaround plan to address the ongoing flight delays at various airports in the Country.
This follows an oversight meeting held on Tuesday, 20 August 2024 with aviation entities wherein ATNS was instructed to develop a comprehensive plan that is costed, with realistic timeframes and technical capacity required.
Today’s meeting was attended by the following industry representatives:
1. Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (BARSA)
2. Airports and Aerodrome Association of Southern Africa (AAASA).
3. Airline Association of Southern Africa (AASA)
4. Lanseria International Airport
5. South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA)
6. Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS)
7. Airports Company South Africa (ACSA)
The industry was taken through the comprehensive Flight Procedure Plan per airport as well as the categories of instrument flight procedures impacted and their status in terms of those already approved and those pending approval by the SACAA.
Following the deliberations, the meeting resolved that:
1. While ATNS works with diligence and speed to address the backlog in instrument flight procedures, passenger and airline safety remains the number one priority. Accordingly safety must not be compromised in the design and approval of flight procedures;
2. The aviation industry is given an opportunity until Monday the 16th of September 2024 to comment on the same Plan with a view to check if ATNS prioritization of updating flight procedures is in aligned with the priorities of the aviation industry;
3. The ATNS will be required to present to the aviation industry and the Minister on progress registered in the implementation of the Plan, every two weeks;
4. It is important to make a determination regarding priority and critical instrument flight procedures that require immediate attention and those that will be dealt with at a later stage.
The Minister renewed her commitment to expedite the process of finding a solution in this regard. She once again expressed her apology to the travelling public for the ongoing delays and the inconvenience caused.
Media Contact:
Collen Msibi
National Spokesperson
066 476 9015
