SepulTALLICA From Zimbabwe, joined Sep 2009, 188 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 years 3 months 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 3425 times:
I was just screwing around on the ACSA website trying to find some updates and info on the new 'King Shaka International Airport' for Durban in South Africa seeing as WC2010 is just around the corner, when i came across these shots. Seems like its coming along quite nicely.
Seems quite spiffy in my opinion - they have apparently started the final tests, so hopefully all will go well and it will open on schedule.
gardermoen From Australia, joined Jul 1999, 1518 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (3 years 3 months 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 3406 times:
The shape reminds me of the terminal at Oslo Gardermoen.
Surprised to see that big a terminal. Is Durban a busy airport with that many airlines to warrant so many gates ?
'...Approximately 850 ha of the 2060 ha site reserved for this. To be built, operated, managed, owned and funded by ACSA. First phase to be completed by 2010 will have the capacity to handle 7,5 mil passengers and 70 000 ATM’s which is expected to realise by 2015...'
&
'• 7,5 million passengers per annum
• Ultimate capacity 45 million passengers 2060'
NYC2TLV From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (3 years 3 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 3311 times:
Quoting gardermoen (Reply 1): Surprised to see that big a terminal. Is Durban a busy airport with that many airlines to warrant so many gates ?
Not right now, but demand is growing. EK is set to operate flights to the new international airport and I am sure that SA has thought about starting flights from DUR to DEL or BOM to ensure their market share to India.
imag From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2007, 184 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (3 years 3 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 3283 times:
Don't EK already fly to Durban International daily now?
How many widebody parking bays are there? Looking at the diagrams, it looks like 2. I heard 4 somewhere before. Is Durban still the main alternative for JNB? I think that Cape Town is the alternative for the A380.
A direct Europe to Durban flight would be great and probably cheaper than flying through JHB (he hopes).
Speedbird128 From Germany, joined Oct 2003, 1134 posts, RR: 2 Reply 7, posted (3 years 3 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 3188 times:
The tower looks retardedly far from the runway (must have been ATNS input there)... And the ramp will surely not be all visible... Given a new airport design i have to wonder...
9252fly From Canada, joined Sep 2005, 1342 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (3 years 3 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 3129 times:
Quoting Speedbird128 (Reply 7): The tower looks retardedly far from the runway
Could they be considering long-term plans,such as an additional runway,etc,? Otherwise,I do like what I see. What will happen to the current airport in Durban?
SepulTALLICA From Zimbabwe, joined Sep 2009, 188 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (3 years 3 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 3113 times:
Quoting 9252fly (Reply 8): Could they be considering long-term plans,such as an additional runway,etc,? Otherwise,I do like what I see. What will happen to the current airport in Durban?
The current airport in Durban is in a very lucrative industrial area, so once La Mercy is up and running, they'll most likely do a Kai-Tak on the joint and turn it into factories, office blocks etc.
According to ACSA, all flights handled by Durban International Airport will(should) terminate on April 30, 2010 and will move to King Shaka International Airport overnight, with KSIA handling its first flight on May 1, 2010.
The wikipedia entry for KSIA is pretty interesting too.
icna05e From France, joined Feb 2006, 289 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (3 years 3 months 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 3093 times:
It looks huge!!! good to think forward. Seems like great improvement over the current airport. I'm all for taking airports, and especially the RWY axis, out of the densely populates areas. If the ground transportation is well thought, and in this case there is a railway running just near the airport into the city center. Any plans for commuter rail there?
Speedbird128 From Germany, joined Oct 2003, 1134 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (3 years 3 months 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 2930 times:
Quoting 9252fly (Reply 8): Could they be considering long-term plans,such as an additional runway,etc
Perhaps. But seeing this airport has been 30 years in the making, I don't ever personally see a 2nd runway there. When I was at JNB, the traffic volumes didn't require a 3rd, so there is no way in the next 20 to 40 years the new durbs airport will need a new runway.
And in any event, as an (experienced) ATC, I would have gone with a tower in the middle of the terminal, a-la DXB etc, where if they built a new runway the other side of the terminal, you'd be able to see it, as well as all the ramp traffic...
Oh well. I am sure somebody somewhere thought it was a good idea where it was placed. In my opinion, a wasted opportunity to give ATC birds's eye view.
flyibaby From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 1015 posts, RR: 6 Reply 13, posted (3 years 3 months 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 2876 times:
I personally think that it is a horrible position to put the airport. You have to pay the tolls if traveling from the north to La Mercy, and the only part of Durban it is close to is Durban North, near the Gateway Shopping Center. Surely they could have built this airport, even 10-15kms closer to Durban than it actually is.
Quoting SepulTALLICA (Reply 9): The current airport in Durban is in a very lucrative industrial area, so once La Mercy is up and running, they'll most likely do a Kai-Tak on the joint and turn it into factories, office blocks etc
Or..the governemnt will allow squatters to live their in their shacks like they do everywhere else.
andz From South Africa, joined Feb 2004, 8298 posts, RR: 11 Reply 14, posted (3 years 3 months 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 2847 times:
Quoting flyibaby (Reply 13): I personally think that it is a horrible position to put the airport. You have to pay the tolls if traveling from the north to La Mercy, and the only part of Durban it is close to is Durban North, near the Gateway Shopping Center. Surely they could have built this airport, even 10-15kms closer to Durban than it actually is.
You obviously know the area, so you must know the terrain. You tell me where you could have built an airport closer to Durban, in any direction from the city. I'm sure the people living north have bigger worries than the toll fees, they are going to experience the joys of aircraft overhead that those in the south have known for many years now.
After Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says WTF...
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