Airports on full alert as SAA stages emergency drill

Leonard Neill AIR TRAFFIC controllers at East London airport put out a warning last week that an inbound aircraft was to make a forced landing with undercarriage problems. Immediately all stations took up their emergency positions as sirens blared - but concerned public at the airport were reassured that nothing serious was about to happen. It was all part of a series of full-scale emergency drill exercises which South African Airways is staging at airports throughout the country. The exercise was a joint operation between SAA, Airports Company of South Africa, the South African Police Service and the East London metropolitan authority. There was a smile from SAA chief executive Andre Viljoen when the exercise had been completed. "This form of exercise shows why we are regarded in the aviation industry as one of the safest airlines and countries in the world," he said. "We are fortunate to have had this opportunity to evaluate our emergency response management system during an exercise rather than having it being put to the test during an actual incident."