JOHANNESBURG – The Air Traffic and Navigation Service (ATNS) says significant progress has been made in restoring and strengthening the country's flight procedure capabilities and resilience across the air navigation system.
ATNS has been criticized for the way it manages airport operations, particularly regarding capacity, delays and constraints on airline growth.
However, on Thursday, July 23, 2026, ATNS said that since the implementation of the Flight Procedures Recovery Program, significant progress has been made in reviewing, maintaining, and restoring critical instrument flight procedures across the country.
“The majority of priority procedures serving South Africa's major commercial airports are currently in place, ensuring the continued safe and efficient movement of air traffic,” ATNS spokesperson Kulu Fasiwe said.
“ATNS also maintains ongoing engagement with the aviation industry through established stakeholder forums, technical working groups, and operational coordination meetings.”
Airlines, including Safair, receive regular updates on program progress, implementation plans and operational developments.
“This collaborative approach allows stakeholders to be informed of ongoing efforts and have the opportunity to raise operational concerns and contribute to the discussion on proposed changes impacting the nation's airspace system,” Fasiwe explained.
“ATNS continuously measures, monitors and reports on service delivery and air traffic flow management performance.
“This information is shared regularly with airlines and their representative bodies, initially weekly and more recently every two weeks.”
Based on OR Tambo International Airport's published maximum departure capacity of 30 air traffic movements per hour, ATNS said it consistently offers an average of 26 to 32 departures per hour.
This corresponds to 87% to 107% of the declared carrying capacity before considering the operational complexities involved in managing different aircraft categories, such as heavy and slow traffic.
“Given the complexity of these operations, ATNS consistently delivers more than 110% of its declared departure movement capacity during peak hours,” Fasiwe said.
“Given this background, any suggestion that ATNS is constraining Safair’s growth is factually false.
“The capacity pressures we are experiencing across the aviation ecosystem are real and well understood by all stakeholders.”
However, air traffic flow and capacity management is influenced by multiple interdependent factors, many of which are outside the direct control of ATNS.
Mr Fasiwe further said: “The delay in departures and the increase in taxi times are therefore the result of a combination of operational factors and are not solely the fault of ATNS.”
He said ATNS continues to be proud of its track record of providing safe and efficient air navigation services that meet international standards.
“Safety remains our top priority and is continually tested in complex operational environments,” the spokesperson said.
A recent example is the severe weather that occurred in the Western Cape on 11 May 2026. This resulted in difficult operating conditions and fuel emergencies that required careful management to ensure the continued safety of all aircraft operations.
Fasiwe said it is also important to note that flight schedules must be developed with due consideration to operational realities and safety considerations, and not solely based on commercial objectives.
“Unrealistic schedule assumptions can lead to operational inefficiencies, stakeholder dissatisfaction, and increased safety risks for both pilots and air traffic controllers,” an ATNS spokesperson said.
“We therefore encourage all stakeholders to continue to review the schedule in light of actual operating conditions.
“In this regard, we welcome Safair's stated commitment to a safety-first approach.”
Fasiwe further said it must be recognized that all aviation networks operate within finite infrastructure and operational constraints.
“No airport in the world can function with unlimited capacity and South Africa is no exception,” he said.
“ATNS is also concerned by comments about skill and competency levels within the organization.”
Fasiwe added: “We question the basis of these claims and note that no evidence has been presented to show that the provision of ATNS services has adversely affected Safair's operations in the manner cited in recent media reports.”
“Concerns therefore remain as to the motive behind such statements.
“As a valued user of ATNS services, Safair has access to a wide range of established stakeholder engagement platforms, either directly with ATNS or through broader industry forums.
“We remain committed to constructive engagement and believe these channels provide the appropriate mechanism to address operational concerns and advance solutions that will benefit the aviation industry as a whole.”
