1 May 2010
Introduction
The countdown to the opening of King Shaka International Airport is underway and Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is working around the clock to ensure that all airport operations are in place come 1 May, with minimal inconvenience to travelers. In order to ensure a smooth transition, ACSA would appreciate patience and cooperation from all those affected by the change-over process.
ACSA has compiled a Question and Answer sheet on key issues to help passengers understand how the change-over will affect them:
A: Shut down schedule for operations at Durban International Airport
1. What happens at Durban International Airport come Friday 30 April?
Answer: The flights scheduled for 30th April 2010 will be facilitated as normal until the last flight. Once the last passengers have been facilitated out of Durban International Airport, the aircraft that usually stay overnight and depart the next morning, will be ferried empty that same night to King Shaka International Airport to prepare for the 1st flight on 1st May 2010 from the new airport.
2. When do operations cease at Durban International Airport?
Answer: After the last flight out of Durban International Airport, the airport will cease all commercial aviation activity. The facility will be handed over to the SA Air Force (SAAF) for the duration of the soccer world cup and thereafter it will be decommissioned. During the soccer world cup there will be no commercial aviation activity at Durban International Airport, as it will all be relocated to King Shaka International Airport from 1st May 2010.
3. If one is planning to return to Durban on or after 1 May, where does one land?
Answer: One will arrive at King Shaka International Airport.
4. If one is planning to leave Durban on or after 1 May, where does one depart?
Answer: One will depart from King Shaka International Airport.
Car rental information and shuttle service
5. If one rents a vehicle at Durban International Airport in the last week of April and is only returning it on or after 1 May, where does one return the vehicle?
Answer: All car rentals are to be returned to the new King Shaka Airport from 1 May. Car rental operators will be based at King Shaka come 1 May.
6. Where does one find his/her vehicle which was parked at Durban International Airport on or before 1 May and will it be secure?
Answer: The vehicle will be at the old Durban International Airport. A free shuttle service for the first week of May will be available to take passengers to their respective cars at Durban International Airport. They will need to show their parking ticket as proof and will be assisted by the Parking staff when they arrive at Durban International Airport.
ACSA is encouraging travelers to make alternative transport arrangements from 26th to 30th April 2010 in order to minimise the number of vehicles left in the public car parks during the switch over period of 30th April and 1st May 2010.
New King Shaka International Airport Information
7. Where is the airport located and how do I get there?
Answer: King Shaka International Airport is located on the north coast of Durban, in the area of La Mercy. The approximate distance from Durban International Airport to King Shaka International Airport is about 60kms. The new airport is situated approximately 35 kilometers north of Durban’s city centre. There is a system of roads feeding into the Airport and Dube Trade Port’s road circulation networks, with principle access off the main collector road that links the N2. The southbound carriageway to the N2 will be tolled. This means that travellers coming to the airport from the south will not pay a toll but will pay a toll when they leave the airport going south on the N2.
The N2 interchange will only be open to the public on 1st May 2010. The distance from the N2 interchange to KSIA is about 3 kms.
A map is available on the ACSA website and pamphlets are available at Durban International Airport’s information desk and at most ACSA airports.
8. Will all aspects of the airport be fully operational come 1 May?
Answer: All areas related to passenger movement will be fully operational.
9. What inconveniences, if any, are passengers likely to encounter?
Answer: Due to the fact that it is a new airport, ACSA believes that users will need to familiarise themselves with the facility. ACSA is appealing to users to come at least two hours before for a domestic departure flight out of Durban so that they have adequate time to get through traffic and conduct all airport activities when at the airport. Airport users will need to familiarise themselves with some of the following:
· Different levels
· Parking access
· Off Ramp access
· New signage
10. What is the size of the new airport?
Answer: The Terminal Building for local and international travel consists of three levels: Ground Floor (arrivals), First floor (departures) and the Mezzanine level (airline offices) and extensive retail facilities. The total size of the terminal flooring is 103,000m² (equivalent to 27 soccer pitches).
11. Will public transportation be available at the new airport?
Answer: Public transport facilities have been provided within the precinct and cater for both bus and accredited public transport service providers (i.e. metered taxis, tour buses/shuttles, coaches and staff shuttles).
12. Will there be help or assistance available for airport users during the transition period?
Answer: To assist passengers and it being a brand new facility, ACSA will have iHelp Agents and attendants placed strategically within the airport to assist airport users with information, directions and hand out useful leaflets from April into May 2010. Visitors will need to look out for them as they will be wearing t/shirts that say, “Help!”
13. What is the cost of the toll gate to its users?
Answer: The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) has just confirmed that the new Toll Plaza on the southbound on-ramp towards
Durban as one exits the King Shaka International Airport, will become operational at 00:00 on Saturday 1 May 2010.
All vehicles travelling through the toll plaza will have to pay the relevant toll tariff per class of vehicle as follows:
Class 1 R4.00
Class 2 R8.00
Class 3 R12.00
Class 4 R16.00
14. What is the cost of parking at the new airport, will it be more than the old airport?
Answer:
|
|
AREA
|
0 TO 1
|
1 TO 2
|
2TO 3
|
3 TO 4
|
4 TO 6
|
6TO 10
|
10 TO 24
|
|
KSIA
|
Shaded
|
12
|
15
|
20
|
25
|
35
|
55
|
75
|
|
|
AREA
|
0 TO 15
|
15 TO 30
|
31 TO 60
|
1 TO 2
|
2TO 3
|
3 TO 4
|
4 TO 6
|
6TO 10
|
10 TO 24
|
|
KSIA
|
MSP
|
free
|
6
|
10
|
20
|
25
|
30
|
55
|
110
|
160
|
15. What are the additional newly introduced services that were not available at the old airport?
Answer: There will be more than 50 retail outlets at King Shaka International Airport when the airport opens on 1st May 2010. Airport Users will now have more variety and choice of the retailers at the new airport. A Multi-Storey Parkade will cater for 1500 vehicles with the shaded parking handling up to 3400 vehicles while there is a total of 6500 vehicle parking bays at the new airport.
Contact Information
16. If one requires more information on the change-over process?
Answer: Visit our website www.airports.co.za or contact ACSA’s call centre on 086 11 777 11.
More contact information:
ACSA information (airport) 032-436-6585
Flight information 086-727-7888
Switch Board number: 032-436-6000
Parking Management: 032 436 6626
