Stray dogs at the airport, a threat to flights |04 July 2018

One of the major safety concerns at Seychelles International Airport is the presence of wildlife on the airside – the restricted area of the airport which is mainly involved with the arrival and departure of aircraft.

Wildlife activity includes anything from flocks of birds in the vicinity to crabs and snails on the runway and taxiway, to cats and dogs wandering on the airfield.

Since the beginning of this year, at least 30 instances of wildlife activity have occurred at the airport. Half of those cases involved the chasing of stray dogs in order to clear the airfield as they pose potential threats to aircraft.

Typically, an airfield should be fenced all around, however due to the topography of Seychelles International Airport, it is a challenge to secure the whole perimeter. The airport boarders with the Industrial Zone 7 on the northern side where foreign construction workers are housed, and residential areas as well as Seychelles People’s Defence Forces and the Seychelles Police Academy on the southern side. All these circumstances not only attract animals as they have access to food, but also provide them with various possible access points to the airside.

Some incidents resulted in aircraft having to do a “Go Around”, delaying their landings. In one instance, a flight was advised to “Go Around” while four dogs were being chased off the runway. The aircraft was only able to land safely nearly 20 minutes later.

Stray dogs are a serious concern for ground operations; putting more pressure on an already very small and busy airport, causing delays, congestion and, most worryingly, it is a hazard creating potential risks to all landing and departing aircraft in the Seychelles.

Various measures are being taken to reduce the frequency of these occurrences, such as regularly checking and reinforcing the fences and setting up traps to capture the strays. Animal shelters also assist by collecting the dogs once they have been captured. The drainage of the area runs underneath the runway creating a possible point of entry for the strays. However, necessary measures have been taken to ensure that the drainage is well secured. It must also be made clear that food is strictly prohibited on the airside, so as to discourage stray animals to come looking for food.

The airport authority is doing its best to prevent dogs and other animals from entering the airside through its Wildlife Management Programme, however the issue remains one of the airport’s biggest challenges. 

As of January 2018 a new legislation has come into effect to address the issue of stray dogs and encourage owners to be more responsible for their animals. Hopefully this will help control a problem that concerns not only the airport but our communities as well. 

The Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) therefore encourages everyone who catches sight of stray animals within the airport compound to notify Airside Control Management Centre (ACMC) on 4384100.

After all, safety is everyone’s business.