By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) confirmed flights at OR Tambo International Airport are running on schedule today after passengers took to social media on Sunday to vent their frustrations about the delays.
ATNS Head of Corporate Affairs and Communications Mphilo Dlamini told Fullview, that air traffic operations at OR Tambo International Airport are normal today, with services continuing as planned. However, the nature of aviation is such that operations should remain subject to constant close monitoring and evaluation.”
Dlamini clarified that the flight diversions experienced yesterday afternoon were not caused by human resource constraints, but were the result of severe weather conditions, including thunderstorms, which temporarily affected safe aircraft operations within the OR Tambo International Airport airspace.
“ATNS wishes to assure travellers, airlines, and all stakeholders that contingency measures have been implemented and additional resources are being deployed to stabilise operations.”
Dlamini said safety remains their highest priority, and ATNS continues to work closely with airlines and airport partners to minimise disruptions and ensure the safe and efficient movement of air traffic.
“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank travellers and operators for their patience and cooperation.”
Regional airline, Airlink, disputed this explanation, saying the bulk of its delays were directly attributable to ATNS staffing shortages and flow control measures.
Airlink said 31 of its flights were delayed departing OR Tambo after ATNS notified airlines of staff shortages and immediately imposed traffic restrictions. These delays resulted in knock-on disruptions to a further 69 flights across the airline’s network.
“The average departure delay at OR Tambo was 74 minutes with a similar impact on the other 69 delayed flights across the network. In addition, five Airlink flights headed to O.R. Tambo were diverted because of the thunder showers yesterday afternoon,” said Linden Birns, Airlink public relations advisor.
FlySafair marketing manager Kirby Gordon said while the situation has since been stabilised, the impact on customers had been significant.
“This was a frustrating day for travellers, particularly during one of the busiest periods of the year and formality and holiday travel. A large number of flights across all airlines were affected, resulting in widespread disruption to the traveling public,” Gordon said.
“This is an issue that we believe needs to remain a key industry focus going into the new year, it must be resolved.”
During the 2025 festive season, ATNS assured readiness for peaks, with operations from December 12, 2025, to January 15, 2026, focusing on safety and efficiency.
OR Tambo handles 60 percent of South Africa’s air traffic, but issues like staff shortages or tech glitches are common. In August 2025, a systems failure caused hours of delays. For 2026, ACSA plans R5 billion in upgrades, including more staff and better systems.