Cape Town’s booming aviation market is running up against capacity constraints, prompting major investment in airport infrastructure that should expand the Western Cape’s ability to accommodate future air traffic.
ACSA has acknowledged growing pressure at Cape Town International Airport (CPT), where terminal expansion and a planned runway realignment are intended to ease passenger and aircraft congestion. At the same time, the development of Cape Winelands Airport is set to add a second commercial airport capable of handling domestic, regional and international traffic.
During the presentation of ACSA’s annual results, Acting CEO Charles Shilowa said that rising passenger and flight numbers were putting pressure on Cape Town International’s infrastructure, particularly during peak periods, creating terminal congestion and limited aircraft slot availability.
To address passenger congestion, ACSA plans to expand the domestic arrivals terminal and upgrade the international terminal. Shilowa also indicated that shorter-term measures were being considered, although he did not provide details.
Longer term, the planned runway realignment could increase the airport’s aircraft-handling capacity.
According to Linden Birns, MD of PlaneTalking, the airport’s aircraft congestion is related to the runway infrastructure, air traffic movement and airspace management.
“This airspace management is impacted by the current alignment of the runway and the obstacles in its path for arriving and departing flights. By realigning the runway, they will negate the impact of the obstacles, potentially allowing them to accommodate more traffic in the airspace and increase the number of aircraft movements per hour,” explained Birns.
