The Management of King Shaka International Airport, South Africa, says it is excited to welcome British Airways’ maiden flight to the airport. The Airport Management says the commencement of direct flights between Durban and London by British Airways is the result of its intensive collaboration with the airline, tourism bodies, as well as provincial and local government authorities.
Mr. Terence Delomoney, General Manager of the Airport, enthuses: “For us as Management of King Shaka International Airport, the launch of direct flights to and from London three times a week is a notable milestone in the growth of our airport since opening in 2010. At that time, we had invested some R7-billion in new airport infrastructure, which is typically required to endure for decades. Following our successful hosting of the FIFA 2010 World Cup, the airport and its stakeholders have worked hard to build on the fantastic foundation of this entirely new infrastructure.”
Mr. Delomoney believes the arrival of British Airways for the Durban-to-London route will make an important contribution not only to growing passenger numbers but also to enhancing the international status of King Shaka International Airport as a hub for economic growth in the region. “We believe that this route has the potential to become a daily service and we will continue working with British Airways to provide any support needed to make this a reality.”
Also, the airport Manager says the airport already meets all the requirements to land aircraft such as the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that British Airways will use on the route, as well as the giant Airbus A380. He reveals that “the airport is investing about R420-million in new infrastructure projects which include the extension of taxiways and the addition of two further aircraft Code F stands to create for capacity for expansion.”
Mr. Delomoney explains that passenger numbers at the airport have risen steadily in recent years with an average increase of 8% a year over the last three years. “King Shaka International Airport handled some 5.6-million passengers during the 2017/2019 financial year, and we are forecasting that we will handle 5.9-million passengers by the end of the current financial year; we are confident that we will see more growth in the coming years,” he states.
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