South Africa’s Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) has responded to remarks by Willie Walsh, Iata DG, who singled out the body for stinging criticism for allegedly “demanding a 63% increase in Air Traffic Services (ATS) charges”.
ATNS called the statement simply speculative and without substance. But at the same time, it refused to disclose the actual increase it was seeking.
A spokesperson from ATNS told Travel News: “63% is astronomical. ATNS has made submissions to the Economic Regulator, with due consideration to industry (the air space users) demands. The Regulator will then make a determination and announce the tariff increases publicly.”
So, while ATNS categorically denies looking for a 63% increase in charges, the spokesperson would not divulge what percentage increase ATNS is actually seeking.
But, aviation insiders have told Travel News that it is very unlikely that Iata’s calculations are wrong, because Iata participates in the process of the determination of the new tariffs. Therefore it has a line of sight on the increases sought by ATNS, which have already been submitted to the regulator. Furthermore, questions arise concerning what improvements airlines will see in return for these steep increases. Walsh said the increases in South African airports were among the “grievous examples of some airports and Air Navigation Service Providers shifting the costs of their inefficiency to airlines”.
Acsa has also already refuted Iata’s claim that the airport operator intends to raise charges by 38%. Acsa issued a statement saying it had requested from the regulator one 17,5% increase in the first year and another 17,5% increase in the second year of the period 2023/24 to 2027/28. A quick calculation reveals that this does, in fact total a 38% increase on the original amount.
The ATNS charges are amounts levied on aircraft operators in connection with the use of any air navigation infrastructure or the provision of any air traffic service. The tariff charge is essentially a product of air traffic movements and costs of service provision, said ATNS.
ATNS stressed that it has already consulted extensively with the aviation industry in the determination of the new tariffs, which are still yet to be approved. ATNS said it had been “very transparent in its budgeting process and methodology with all key industry stakeholders”.
