Question NW311 to the Minister of Transport
26 March 2024 - NW311
Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Transport
Considering the longstanding issue of flight delays which has negatively affected both domestic and international tourists, (a) which airports are affected by flight delays due to air traffic control systems where only one frequency is working, (b) what has caused this issue and (c) by what date will this issue be attended to and resolved?
Reply:
a) OR Tambo International Airport.
b) The issue was caused by:
- the radio coverage challenges which caused the unavailability of forward relays at various Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) remote sites. ATNS relies on third-party telecommunications service providers to relay the data from the control centre to the forward relay and vice-versa;
- Vandalism and theft where backup power facilities are often stolen at the sites. These sites, due to their remote nature, have become susceptible to power failures as backup power facilities are prone to theft; and
- Load-shedding.
c) Mid-March 2024.