KATCA issues red alert on Kenya’s air safety amid Ethiopian traffic controllers’ strike

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Kenya Air Traffic Controllers Association (KATCA) has issued a red alert on aviation safety in the region following the go slow by their Ethiopian counterparts.

CEO Peter Ang’awa said the standoff pitting the Ethiopian air traffic controllers and their management poses grave danger to planes flying through Addis Ababa.

Ethiopian air controllers have downed their tools for the past three days leaving their stations in the hands of retirees who do not have current validation.

Ang’awa said that some flights originating from Addis Ababa are entering the Nairobi airspace with wrong flight levels.

“Some Eastbound flights are coming in with westbound flight levels while some Westbound flights have Eastbound levels increasing chances of serious air misses.”

In a statement, KATCA said that aircrafts are entering the Kenyan airspace from Addis Ababa at flight levels that are different from those passed by those manning the Addis Ababa airspace.

“Nairobi ACC is now overwhelmed because they have to pass one estimate even more than five times to the Addis Ababa ‘controllers’ who are unable to copy correct estimates.”

He said there are several incidences of loss of standard separation between aircrafts at the point of transfer between Addis Ababa and Nairobi.

Ang’awa cited wrong or no estimates from Ethiopia.

“Letters of agreement between Adis Ababa and Nairobi on co-ordination procedures are not being followed,” the KACTA statement reads.

The Star

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