KuGompo (East London) – Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has announced that the Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedures at King Phalo Airport have been temporarily suspended.
In a statement made available to The Bulrushes on Sunday, 26 April 2026, ACSA confirmed “the commencement of a planned VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) navigational aid replacement project by Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) SOC Ltd, which is being implemented at King Phalo Airport”.
ACSA said the suspension began on the 24th of April 2026, and ATNS has indicated that the outage would last about a month.
“While the airport will be open and fully functional during this period, travellers are advised of potential operational impact as the project has resulted in the temporary suspension of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedures due to the unavailability of the VOR,” ACSA said.
“Therefore, under adverse weather conditions, particularly with reduced visibility, an aircraft may not be able to procedurally commence approach and landing.”
ACSA said King Phalo Airport, together with the relevant aviation stakeholders, will ensure optimal safe flight operations as ATNS embarks on the air navigation infrastructure modernisation programme, which will see the enhancement of the airport’s operational efficiency and safety standards.
“Passengers are encouraged to download the ACSA mobile app to receive real-time updates,” ACSA said.
“Alternatively, they may contact their respective airlines directly for further information.”
