CONSTRUCTION began last month on the R86m upgrade of the Durban International Airport (DIA) and is scheduled to be completed within 15 months on June 1, 2001.
So reports airport manager at DIA, Siva Pillay, who told Travel Now that upon completion, the capacity of the airport would increase from 2,5 million passengers to 3,2 million.
The upgrade entails the combining of the domestic and international arrival and departure terminals, more check-in desks and more seating.
There are plans to increase space for airline processing, passenger queuing, boarding gates and baggage facilities.
"We are also currently conceptualising the upgrade of the parking and road systems," says Pillay.
The upgrade of DIA was put on hold for the construction of the new La Mercy International Airport, which will be completed only within four years. However, due to a increased growth in passengers over the last five years and a forecast of a further 5% growth per annum over the next five years, the need for an upgrade at DIA became apparent, explained Pillay.
At the ground-breaking ceremony of the new project - held at the airport on April 18 - the provincial member of the executive council (MEC) for Transport, Sibusiso Ndebele, said it was a good investment for Durban to have two international airports as it would be a major boost for tourism and foreign investment, resulting in job creation.
(Adele Mackenzie)
