ATNS issues severely impact airlines operating in South Africa

Issues at South Africa’s Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) have had a severe impact on airlines operating to, from, and within the country.

atns issues airlines
ATNS issues impact airlines operating in South Africa. Image: Unsplash

ATNS has been beset with problems this year. From personnel issues to the suspension of procedures for aircraft landing at various airports, ATNS’s woes have cost airlines significant amounts of money.

ATNS ISSUES

Issues caused by ATNS throughout the year have put increasing pressure on airlines and aircraft operators’ financial performance.

This is by way of delays, flight diversions and placing aircraft in holding patterns.

INCREASED COSTS

Chief Marketing Officer for FlySafair, Kirby Gordon, said these issues had resulted in significant cost increases for the budget carrier.

Gordon said FlySafair had incurred an estimated additional R3 million worth of fuel every month due to delays, diversions and holding patterns.

SUSPENDED PROCEDURES

The problem began in July, when ATNS suspended procedures for instrument-navigation flight approaches at various airports across South Africa.

“More or less 10% of all of our flights since July 20 have been adversely affected. We’ve had numerous flight cancellations, flights diverted and an unbelievable number of flights put into holding patterns.” Gordon said, per Tourism Update.

ALSO READ: South Africa’s ATNS and GANS enter partnership agreement

ATNS ISSUES IMPACT AIRLINES

Aaron Munetsi, CEO of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) said that one of its member airlines had reported incurring 3 892 delayed flights, 77 cancelled flights and 12 diversions between 19 July and 9 October.

“The cumulative delay time for just that one airline over this period was an eyewatering 91 075 minutes or 63,25 days.” Munetsi said, per Travel News.

Linden Birns, Managing Director of Plane Talking, an agency specialising in aerospace consulting and communications, said 10% of the flights to, from and within South Africa have been affected since July 19 when over 300 procedures were withdrawn. 

He also said that airlines had been feeling the impact of this – in terms of increased fuel consumption.

“The net result has been aircraft standing in long queues with their engines idling and burning precious fuel – which is like burning cash – waiting to take off or being placed in holding patterns before being guided on to the approach path for landing.” Birns said, per Travel News.

Airlink CEO and Managing Director, Rodger Foster, said the ATNS debacle led to a radical increase in costs.

Birns explained that the ATNS’s withdrawn instrument flight procedures, implementation of ‘flow control’ and temporary downgrades to the classification of Johannesburg’s airspace would continue to disrupt flight schedules, cause delays, diversions and cancelled flights.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

The consequence of increased fuel burn not only translates to higher costs for airlines operating flights.

It also has a significant impact on the environment.

The added fuel burn results in increased carbon emissions, which are harmful to the environment.

South Africa’s Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has engaged ATNS, aiming to bring an end to these issues.

Creecy is indeed concerned about the woes at Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS) after warnings by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) a year ago that due processes were not being followed at some airports in the country.

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