The G20 Summit will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, November 21–23, 2025. Business aviation operators should expect significant airspace restrictions, security controls, and challenges with ground logistics in and around the city. Here’s what you need to know to successfully plan and operate missions to FAOR, FALA, and the Johannesburg area during this high-impact event.

Summit Scale & Context

This summit represents the culmination of approximately 130 G20 meetings held across all provinces of South Africa throughout 2025, making it an unprecedented year-long series of high-level gatherings. The week leading up to the Leaders’ Summit will be particularly intense, with multiple major events including the T20 Summit (November 13-14), Social Summit (November 18-20), and B20 Summit (November 18-20) all taking place in Johannesburg.

The B20 business summit alone will be held at Sandton Convention Centre, adding significant additional traffic to an already congested period. This marks the first time the G20 summit has been held on African soil, representing the world’s major economies that account for 85% of global GDP, over 75% of international trade, and about two-thirds of the world’s population.

Airspace Restrictions & Flight Operations

AIP Supplement S104/25 establishes a Temporary Restricted Airspace (TRA) for the Johannesburg FIR (FAJA) with the following critical restrictions:

Key Restriction Details:

• Dates/Hours: Daily 0600–1900 local, November 21–23, 2025
• Area: 20 NM radius centered on NASREC Expo Centre (261430.18S / 0275849.91E)
• Vertical Limits: GND to FL350
• Commercial Traffic Buffer: Must remain outside 5NM radius of NASREC while TRA is active
• Restrictions: All VFR routes within 20 NM, including FAWK/Pinedene VFR, will be closed. No local or training flights allowed. Only commercial and scheduled flights at FAOR and FALA permitted.

RSA04 Clearance Requirements:

• Required for: Any non-exempt flights into the TRA
• Application deadline: 72 hours in advance
• Apply via: saafoverflights@gmail.com or +27 66 139 4661
• Flight plan requirement: Clearance number must be included; plans without clearance will be rejected
• Exemptions: Military and law enforcement aircraft

Critical Operational Notes:

• TRA activation: Announced by NOTAM when required for safety and security
• Transponder mandatory: All traffic within 20 NM must operate serviceable transponder
• ATC compliance: Strict adherence to routing instructions required
• NOTAM monitoring: Check latest NOTAMs prior to takeoff

FAOR Operations & Services

Important Note: FAOR is primarily set up for commercial operations and does not have a dedicated general aviation terminal. However, business aviation flights can be accommodated with prior notification.

Mandatory Slot Coordination:

All flights require slots at Johannesburg/FAOR. Given the G20 period’s high-traffic designation, operators should expect significantly compressed processing times.

• Processing time: 12 business days during high-traffic periods
• Slot tolerance: ±15 minutes
• Amendment rate: 83% of requests require changes
• Arrival slots: Allocated as Estimated On Block Time (EOBT), including arrival plus taxi time
• Departure slots: Time when aircraft must be ready to start and taxi

Required Information: Aircraft details, call sign/registry, operation dates/times, passenger count

Slot Office Hours: 0800-1630 LT Mon-Fri; After hours: 1630-2100 LT Mon-Fri/0800-2100 LT weekends

Fireblade Aviation FBO – Recommended Option:

The premier business aviation choice at FAOR, featuring South Africa’s only on-site customs and immigration services.

• Pre-arrival contact: 130.725 MHz, 15 minutes prior to landing
• Location: Off Taxiway E, east of Runway 21L
• Facilities: VIP lounges, crew day rooms, shower/gym facilities
• Services: Dedicated apron parking, hangar space, on-site fuel farm and fuel trucks

General Airport Services:

• Operations: 24/7 ATC, Customs, Immigration
• Ground Equipment: All standard equipment available (no de-icing capability)
• Parking: Hangarage not mandatory for stays longer than 14 hours; FBO apron parking available
• Communications:
  • ATC/Apron Control: 118.10 MHz / 122.65 MHz
  • Johannesburg Oceanic: +27-11-928-6456 / 179.55 MHz

Security Considerations:

The FAOR airport area maintains high security standards and is considered very safe for operations at any time of day or evening. However, operators should exercise caution when traveling in downtown Johannesburg areas outside the airport environment.

Ground Transportation Considerations

Operators should anticipate significant congestion across Johannesburg, particularly near Sandton, Rosebank, and the NASREC Expo Centre. Security perimeters and motorcades will disrupt normal traffic flow throughout the extended summit period.

• Rail: The Gautrain rapid-rail system is the most reliable option for moving between O.R. Tambo International Airport (FAOR), Sandton, and Pretoria. Crews and passengers may find this more efficient than road transfers during peak congestion, especially given the concentration of events in Sandton.
• Road: Shuttle services and e-hailing (Uber, Bolt) will be available but subject to delays from checkpoints and closures. For high-priority movements, secure pre-booked ground transport is strongly recommended.
• Security: Expect roadblocks and limited access around summit venues. Secure shuttles or chauffeur services with summit-level accreditation will help avoid delays. Exercise standard caution when traveling in downtown Johannesburg areas.

Accommodation & Crew Staging

The convergence of multiple summits during November 18-20, particularly the B20 Summit at Sandton Convention Centre, will significantly strain accommodation availability in Sandton and surrounding business districts. Early booking is essential for passengers and crew.

For operators staging aircraft outside Johannesburg, consider positioning crews in secondary cities or airports before restrictions take effect. This can mitigate both parking shortages at FAOR/FALA and hotel congestion in the city center during what will be an unprecedented demand period.

Key Takeaways for Business Aviation

• Apply for RSA04 clearance immediately (72+ hours required via saafoverflights@gmail.com)
• Coordinate FAOR slots early – 12 business day processing, 83% amendment rate
• Use Fireblade Aviation FBO for streamlined customs/immigration and contact ops on 130.725 MHz 15 minutes prior to landing
• Monitor NOTAMs daily for TRA activation status
• Plan for 5NM NASREC buffer during active periods
• Build flexibility into slot timing – high amendment rate expected
• Book accommodations early for November 13-23 period
• Plan ground logistics carefully: allow extra time, book secure transport, and leverage Gautrain where possible
• Remember extended congestion period – restrictions and heavy traffic will impact November 13-23, not just summit dates

Conclusion

The G20 Summit will create one of the most restrictive operating environments Johannesburg has seen in recent years. The AIP Supplement S104/25 restrictions, combined with mandatory slot coordination and multiple concurrent summits, require exceptional advance planning. Success depends on early RSA04 clearance applications, slot coordination, and leveraging specialized services like Fireblade Aviation’s on-site customs facility. The key is early preparation and close monitoring of NOTAMs for day-to-day activation status during this historic aviation challenge representing the culmination of a year-long presidency with unprecedented traffic volumes.