Airlink cancels Polokwane f lights

DANGEROUS: EMERGENCY SERVICES LACKING AT AIRPORT Illegal to operate there after being downgraded to CAT2.

Privately owned and independent regional airline Airlink has suspended its flights to Polokwane with immediate effect. The airline cites airport noncompliance as the reason.

“The South African Civil Aviation Authority had advised last night that with immediate effect the Polokwane airport had been decategorised to CAT2, which is below the minimum level required for scheduled commercial air services,” a statement from the airline said. “The current status of the airport presents as an operational safety concern and it would be illegal to operate scheduled services at the airport.”

Airlink said it was regrettable that the airport did not advise them of the “impending threat of decategorisation” and their “inability to provide the minimum level of emergency services required to maintain its aerodrome licence category”.

The airline had explored other options, including the possibility of operating at the Pietersburg Civil Aerodrome.

“The aerodrome also offers no rescue firefighting services and therefore is unable to accept scheduled commercial flights.

“Airlink management will work with Polokwane airport management to establish when the airport will address its noncompliances,” it explained.

Transport and community safety spokesman Matome Moremi-Taueatsoala said the department, as a shareholder of Gateway Airports Authority Limited (Gaal), was not concerned by the downgrading of the airport from category 7 to category 2.

“The department will give its full support to the new board of directors of Gaal, who ... immediately started a process to appeal the decision.

“The department will give their full support to resolve any other issues which were raised with the airport.

“We feel the issues can be sorted so that we can get back to normalcy.” –