South Africa's Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) says it may take up to two weeks to reinstate suspended Instrument Flight Procedures (IFPs) at Mbombela following severe disruptions reported by Airlink (South Africa) at the gateway airport to the Kruger National Park.

"[Concerning Mbombela,] we have submitted an exemption application last week. The exemption application is to ensure that the current suspension gets lifted, and the procedures brought back into operation again. We are hopeful it will be approved soon. At the same time, the normal procedure design package application has been submitted to CAA for approval," an ATNS spokesman told ch-aviation.

He added that the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) had approved updated procedures due for implementation on November 27 at the following key airports: Richards Bay, Bloemfontein, and Kimberley, plus both runways at Port Elizabeth (where one is already operational).

Airlink also reported issues at Pietermaritzburg and Mthatha, although the ATNS said that at the former, all procedures were approved and operational, and at the latter, procedures were in place for the main runway.

"Airlink is doing everything possible to get customers to their intended destinations as quickly as possible with the minimum inconvenience. Under normal circumstances, our flights to and from these destinations would be permitted to operate in the present summer weather. However, the suspension of the IFPs places severe limitations on flights,” said Airlink CEO, de Villiers Engelbrecht.

ATNS suspended 226 IFPs nationwide in July 2024 after missing a renewal deadline, with 207 currently still inactive, according to the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) database.