SA's airline industry is struggling amid failing navigation systems and poor airport upkeep - AASA

Stephen Grootes speaks to Guy Leitch, Editor of SA Flyer Magazine and Aaron Munetsi, CEO Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) about the growing crisis in South Africa’s airline industry, where failing navigation systems and deteriorating airport infrastructure are leaving pilots and passengers flying blind.

Listen to the interview in the audio player below.

CEO of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA), Aaron Munetsi says airlines are losing a large amount of money due to inefficiencies in airport operations.

Munetsi says Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is not keeping the airports running properly, blaming deteriorating airport infrastructure and problems at Air Traffic Navigation Services which are leading to frequent delays and cancelations of flights.

Speaking to Stephen Grootes on The Money Show, Munetsi says daily operational challenges at airports across the country are making to extremely difficult for airlines to operate at a profit. 

"From an airports point-of-view, the challenges pertain to basic infrastructures and procedures such as standard instrument departure procedures or standard terminal arrival routings. If those processes are not properly regulated...then our airlines are forced to try as much as possible to meet their commitment to you as the passenger with regards to the scheduled or advertised time of departure."

- Aaron Munetsi, CEO - Airlines Association of Southern Africa

"...we are paying for a service we are not receiving. And not only that, because we are not receiving a service, we are now having to make our own arrangements to make sure our aircrafts operate safely..."

- Aaron Munetsi, CEO - Airlines Association of Southern Africa

"The airports have been underinvested in maintenance and updates since the World Cup, when they had their last major spurt of investment."

- Guy Leitch, editor - SA flyer magazine 

"We've had 15 years of underinvestment in the airports and we're seeing the results of that now."

- Guy Leitch, editor - SA flyer magazine 

Scroll to the top of the article to listen to the full interview.