Aviation Co-ordination Services (ACS) has pushed back against claims by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), stating that ACSA’s ongoing obstruction and refusal to allow equipment upgrades contributed to the security incident at O.R. Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) in May.

The incident involved a passenger departing from ORTIA who was later found in possession of two deactivated training grenades upon arrival in Ethiopia.

In a statement released on July 25, ACS said it has been providing Hold Baggage Screening (HBS) services efficiently and safely for over 25 years on behalf of the airline industry, which it claims is legally responsible for providing HBS at airports.

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Delayed notification

ACS said while ACSA was officially notified of the incident on May 285, ACS was only informed of the incident on June 8, ten days later, which delayed the start of its investigation.

Once notified, ACS launched a full internal investigation, confirming that the items in the passenger’s bag were deactivated training grenades, safe for transport.

While the items were flagged at the first two screening points, a screener at Level 3 mistakenly cleared the bag.

ACS said the screener was fully certified by the South African Civil Aviation Authority, had over a decade of screening experience, and had recently passed assessments. The screener was suspended immediately after the incident and later dismissed following a disciplinary process.

Calls for equipment upgrades

ACS claims that while human error was the immediate cause of the incident, ACSA’s refusal to allow ACS to upgrade and replace outdated screening equipment was a contributing factor.

ACS argues that modern equipment with AI algorithms and 3D screening technology would have reduced the potential for human error.

It said that for eight years, ACSA has blocked attempts to replace equipment, despite court challenges.

Between November 2024 and May 2025, ACS obtained three court orders compelling ACSA to permit interim replacements of backup screening machines.

Dispute over mandate

ACS disputes ACSA’s claims that it can terminate ACS’s services, maintaining that the airline industry, not ACSA, holds statutory responsibility for HBS.

It argues that it was created by the industry as the legally mandated entity to perform screening services on their behalf.

In 2023, ACSA announced plans to insource HBS services, a decision ACS claims was unlawful, following a similar 2019 attempt that was withdrawn after a legal challenge.

Commitment to aviation security

ACS said it has a zero-tolerance stance on security breaches and views the May incident as gross negligence on the screener’s part, leading to dismissal.

However, it adds that the broader context of the incident must be acknowledged, citing ACSA’s ongoing obstruction as a risk to aviation security.

“ACS remains committed to ensuring a secure, regulated, and cooperative aviation environment in the interests of all passengers and airlines operating in South Africa,” it said in the statement.