Air traffic management agency Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS) says it is making progress in the ongoing instrument flight procedure maintenance programme, which needed to be carried out as part of routine global safety protocols.

ATNS will be submitting all procedures related to the affected airports to the South African Civil Aviation Authority by the end of August.

The procedures are based on local and international design standards and are currently under review to align with global advancements in aviation technology and safety requirements, says ATNS COO Josia Manyakoana.

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

“The key priority for ATNS is keeping the skies and our passengers safe, which therefore informed our decision in terms of our safety management system that procedures that do not meet the requirement should be suspended unless such noncompliances are mitigated,” he says.

Further, ATNS has prioritised the lifting of suspensions for critical areas, including George Airport, Polokwane International Airport, Kimberley International Airport and Mthatha Airport.

In an update on its operational performance, the State-owned agency says there have been no cancellations of flights at the George Airport to date, or delays in and out of this airport owing to the suspension of flight procedures.

At the Mthatha and Kimberley airports, there were no cancellations of flights and or delays owing to the suspension of flight procedures.

There were cancellations of two flights on July 22 and 26 at the Polokwane airport, which were the result of weather and not necessarily the suspended flight procedures, notes Manyakoana.

Meanwhile, ATNS also shared that the negative impacts experienced in Cape Town when a newly published flight procedure impacted on traffic arriving at the airport on July 22, which was addressed the following day, were not directly linked to the maintenance programme.

Additionally, at OR Tambo International Airport, there are negative operational impacts when runway 21 is used, especially during peak hours, he adds.

The agency's primary objective is to minimise any impact on safety and operational flight delays. It expressed gratitude for the support and partnership received from airline associations and key stakeholders as it manages this process.

“ATNS is mobilising all available resources at its disposal to deliver on this project. We regret the inconvenience caused to all affected parties and stakeholders who use our airspace regularly during this time,” Manyakoana says.