Aasa calls for urgent clarity and action from ATNS

In a statement responding to ATNS’s recent industry briefing, the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (Aasa) said the ongoing operational challenges "risk causing significant economic consequences". It emphasised the importance of maintaining adequate staffing levels for critical air traffic control positions.

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Aaron Munetsi, CEO of AASA, warned that the disruptions have persisted for 16 months, threatening the economic viability of towns and cities and South Africa’s reliability as a trading and tourism partner.

Munetsi said: "Disruptions, delays, diversions, and flight cancellations—and their effects on customers, airlines, and entire economies—are far more than a mere inconvenience; they are deeply damaging and simply unacceptable."

He raised concerns over ATNS’s handling of suspended instrument flight procedures (IFPs), noting that in many cases, no new obstacles require revisions, so revalidation should be a formality. Munetsi also criticised the need for pilots to “hand amend” instructions despite electronic publication, which he said raises safety risks.

The statement called on ATNS to provide clear timelines for reinstating all affected IFPs, accelerate the recruitment of skilled personnel—including the rehiring of retired staff—and explore measures to compensate airlines for the costs incurred due to these disruptions.

Munetsi stated that ATNS and the Department of Transport must eliminate these operational disruptions to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient air transport—a critical factor in supporting tourism, trade, and job creation across South Africa.