Flights to smaller airports in SA have been severely affected after the Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS) suspended procedures for all instrument-navigation flight approaches at these airports indefinitely on Friday evening.
There are 177 scheduled flights per week to the airports where instrument approaches have been suspended.
The airports in George, Kimberley, Polokwane, Mthatha and Richards Bay appear to have all their available instrument approaches suspended. Other airports, including OR Tambo, Cape Town, Upington and East London seem to still have at least one approved approach available.
The ATNS explained that it was conducting a maintenance programme for instrument flight procedures at various airports in SA. Under the suspension, pilots may fly visual approaches in favourable weather conditions. However, at night or during cloudy, misty or rainy weather, approaches may not be permissible.
“These procedures are based on South African Civil Aviation Authority and International Civil Aviation Organisation procedures for air navigation services — aircraft operations (ICAO Pan-Ops) design criteria which change from time to time. As part of the process, the procedures are being reviewed and updated to meet the current ICAO Pan-Ops criteria and advances in technology,” the ATNS said.
“In terms of our safety management system, procedures that do not meet the requirement should be suspended unless such non-compliances are mitigated. In these cases where procedures are suspended, ATNS will ensure an expedited maintenance review process ... to minimise the impact on safety and operational flight delays. We will fast-track activities to ensure speedy upliftment of the suspensions.”
ATNS said its maintenance programme had progressed significantly and there was “reasonable assurance of a positive outcome”.
Airlink, one of the airlines affected, said in a statement on Saturday that these procedures were taking longer than anticipated to complete.
“Airlink will do its best to operate all of its flights and to maintain its schedule, however, it is possible that some of our flights may be delayed or, in the worst case, cancelled,” said Airlink CEO and MD Rodger Foster.
“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.”
Miles van der Molen, CEO of Cemair, said on Saturday that the effect of the ATNS suspensions would be substantial. He anticipated that Cemair’s flights to George would likely be most affected as the region experiences inclement weather frequently.
“The rationale for the withdrawal of the instrument approaches is unclear. It appears the ongoing maintenance of the procedures was not accomplished timeously.
“The review requirement is largely an administrative process, and it has not been suggested that the ongoing use of any of these approach procedures represent a demonstrable safety risk,” Van der Molen said.
Flysafair was also concerned about effects of inclement weather on flights to George.
“We have some concerns, because this does place a limitation on our ability to land in weather conditions that we would ordinarily be able to land in. We will obviously keep customers abreast of any expected impact depended on conditions,” Kirby Gordon, chief marketing officer of Flysafair said on Saturday.
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